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Rescuing the Gospel: The Story and Significance of the Reformation
The Riveting Story of the Reformation and Its Significance Today
The Reformation unfolded in the cathedrals and town squares of Europe--in Wittenberg, Worms, Rome, Geneva, and Zurich--and it is a stirring story of courage and cowardice, of betrayal and faith.
The story begins with the Catholic Church and its desperate need for reform. The dramatic events that followed are traced from John Wycliffe in England, to the burning of John Hus at the stake in Prague, to the rampant sale of indulgences in the cities and towns of Germany, to Martin Luther nailing the Ninety-Five Theses to the door of the Castle Church in 1517, to John Calvin's reform of Geneva.
Erwin Lutzer captures the people, places, and big ideas that fueled the Reformation and explains its lasting influence on the church and Western Civilization.
The Reformation unfolded in the cathedrals and town squares of Europe--in Wittenberg, Worms, Rome, Geneva, and Zurich--and it is a stirring story of courage and cowardice, of betrayal and faith.
The story begins with the Catholic Church and its desperate need for reform. The dramatic events that followed are traced from John Wycliffe in England, to the burning of John Hus at the stake in Prague, to the rampant sale of indulgences in the cities and towns of Germany, to Martin Luther nailing the Ninety-Five Theses to the door of the Castle Church in 1517, to John Calvin's reform of Geneva.
Erwin Lutzer captures the people, places, and big ideas that fueled the Reformation and explains its lasting influence on the church and Western Civilization.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2016
133 people are currently reading
906 people want to read
About the author
Erwin W. Lutzer
165 books276 followersErwin W. Lutzer is senior pastor of The Moody Church in Chicago. A graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary and Loyola University, he is the author of numerous books, including the Gold Medallion Award winner "Hitler's Cross" and the best seller "One Minute After You Die". He is also a teacher on radio programs heard on more than 700 stations throughout the United States and the world, including "Songs in the Night," "The Moody Church Hour," and the daily feature "Running to Win." He and his wife, Rebecca, live in the Chicago area and have three married children and seven grandchildren.
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June 30, 2016
Erwin Lutzer is the pastor of Moody Church, one of Evangelicalism's storied congregations, and has been for some thirty-six years. He is a featured speaker on three Christian radio programs and the author of many Christian books. In Rescuing the Gospel: The Story and Significance of the Reformation, Lutzer applies his craft and skill as a Bible teacher and author to exploring the importance of the Protestant Reformation for Western History and the Church and its ongoing lessons it us as we seek to live faithful to the Gospel of Jesus Christ today.
Lutzer begins by describing the the moral corruption and theological issues facing the Catholic Church in the centuries leading up to the Reformation and early attempts to bring about reform (i.e. John Wycliffe and John Hus). He then devotes nine chapters to describing Luther and the rise of Lutheranism before exploring other Reformers. He apportions a chapter each to Zwingli, the Anabaptists, Calvin and Calvinism. His final chapter poses the question, 'Is the Reformation Over?" and explores aspects of the Reformers message that Lutzer feels are ripe for recovery.
The first thing to note about Rescuing the Gospel is that it a beautiful book Colored pictures adorn the pages. Paintings, maps and artifacts illustrate the material. On a whole, this book is aesthetically pleasing. It is also well written. Lutzer is a gifted teacher and he tells a good story. His prose is warm and engaging. He doesn't delve into the complexities of Luther's pyschological character, but focuses on Luther's contribution to Reformation and the main events of the period. This is a popular level history and Lutzer does a good job of describing events and setting them in context.
Nevertheless, Rescuing the Gospel has several limitations. First it is limited by Lutzer's source material. Lutzer, does have a smattering of sources from recent decades (notably, James Kittleson's Luther the Reformer, 2003), but for the most part, his sources are at least thirty years old. Much of the material is drawn from Roland Bainton's Here I Stand (1950) and The Reformation of the Sixteenth Century (1952).These are good books, but dated. As such, Lutzer does not demonstrate any engagement with contemporary historical scholarship of the period he is describing. This is a popular lever history, so of course Lutzer doesn't have to be the consummate scholar of the era, but I wished he demonstrated more awareness of current discussions.
Second, this book is limited in its scope. It is a book about the Reformation, but it restricts itself to the Protestant Reformation of continental, Northern Europe. This makes it really WASPy. The Roman Catholic Church had their own reformation (or Counter Reformation) which addressed which responded to some of the abuses of power, scandals and problems in the Catholic church and their own spiritual movements (i.e. Carmelites, Jesuits, etc). These are treated only incidentally or not at all. But Catholics aren't the only ones short shrifted. The story of the Reformation in the British Isles is told in all of three pages (178-180). That's a page and a half for Scotland and a page and a half for Anglicanism and the Puritans (sorry Baptists). This means Henry VIII's Brexit from the European Union (of Roman Catholicism) is barely mentioned.
Third, this book is limited by its author's generosity with other theological perspectives. Lutzer is generous when it comes to his descriptions of Luther and the Reformers, always careful to set their foibles with in their own historical contexts. For example, Lutzer condemns Luther's anti-Jewish remarks as despicable and 'anti-Christian,' but states they rested on his commitment to 'right doctrine' rather than a desire for 'pure blood' (116) and he asserts that Luther would have opposed Hitler if he lived in the days of Nazi Germany (a curious piece of what if history) (117). Also he describes Calvin's participation in Servetus's execution, as a minor role, and he emphasizes Calvin was a creature of his time (167-168).
However, Lutzer is not quite so generous with the Catholic Church. His chapter on Luther's 95 theses, Luther's initial 'protest' against indulgences, describes the role indulgences played in Catholicism and the role it still plays in contemporary Catholicism (24-26). So from the outset we know his purpose is showcase the continuing error of Catholicism. Lutzer's final chapter is devoted to describes the great divide between Catholic and Evangelical theology and the way ecumenism waters down the gospel. He is critical of ecumenical statements like the Evangelical and Catholics Together document (1994) or the Lutheran-Catholic Concord (1999) compromises a robust understanding of Justification 'by faith alone' (188-189). He spends several pages railing against Catholic dogma and practice including things like Mariology, transubstantiation, indulgences, veneration of the saints, and superstitions (192-198). This is much more sophisticated and evenhanded in its critique than a Chick tract would be, but it does paint a grim picture of the state of Roman Catholicism today.
I am not Roman Catholic and I did find myself nodding along with several of Lutzer's critiques. Theology matters and we ought to be able to discuss these issues openly and honestly in dialogue with our Catholic sisters and brothers. However :Lutzer's broad-brush of ecumenism makes it sound like the evangelical signers and endorsers of Evangelicals and Catholics Together cared little for right doctrine and good theology. Does J.I. Packer have a watered down understanding of Justification by Faith Alone? Does Thomas Oden? Richard Mouw? How about Os Guiness? These are scholars with passion, intelligence and good theology. These are men of fervent (evangelical) faith. They have not given way to error because in a joint-statement with Catholics they chose to emphasize our shared heritage with the Church Universal. Lutzer is passionate about right doctrine but is doggeredly determined to fight the old fundamentalist fight against other branches of the Christian faith. Catholicism is but one error that he thinks evangelicals ought to combat:
I share with him his concern for truth, but his lack of generosity signals a troubling tone. I can't really endorse this book, though I can't say wholly disliked it either. Lutzer does highlight the Reformation's legacy and draw attention to issues that matter. I give this two stars.
Note: I received this book from Baker Books in exchange for my honest review.
Lutzer begins by describing the the moral corruption and theological issues facing the Catholic Church in the centuries leading up to the Reformation and early attempts to bring about reform (i.e. John Wycliffe and John Hus). He then devotes nine chapters to describing Luther and the rise of Lutheranism before exploring other Reformers. He apportions a chapter each to Zwingli, the Anabaptists, Calvin and Calvinism. His final chapter poses the question, 'Is the Reformation Over?" and explores aspects of the Reformers message that Lutzer feels are ripe for recovery.
The first thing to note about Rescuing the Gospel is that it a beautiful book Colored pictures adorn the pages. Paintings, maps and artifacts illustrate the material. On a whole, this book is aesthetically pleasing. It is also well written. Lutzer is a gifted teacher and he tells a good story. His prose is warm and engaging. He doesn't delve into the complexities of Luther's pyschological character, but focuses on Luther's contribution to Reformation and the main events of the period. This is a popular level history and Lutzer does a good job of describing events and setting them in context.
Nevertheless, Rescuing the Gospel has several limitations. First it is limited by Lutzer's source material. Lutzer, does have a smattering of sources from recent decades (notably, James Kittleson's Luther the Reformer, 2003), but for the most part, his sources are at least thirty years old. Much of the material is drawn from Roland Bainton's Here I Stand (1950) and The Reformation of the Sixteenth Century (1952).These are good books, but dated. As such, Lutzer does not demonstrate any engagement with contemporary historical scholarship of the period he is describing. This is a popular lever history, so of course Lutzer doesn't have to be the consummate scholar of the era, but I wished he demonstrated more awareness of current discussions.
Second, this book is limited in its scope. It is a book about the Reformation, but it restricts itself to the Protestant Reformation of continental, Northern Europe. This makes it really WASPy. The Roman Catholic Church had their own reformation (or Counter Reformation) which addressed which responded to some of the abuses of power, scandals and problems in the Catholic church and their own spiritual movements (i.e. Carmelites, Jesuits, etc). These are treated only incidentally or not at all. But Catholics aren't the only ones short shrifted. The story of the Reformation in the British Isles is told in all of three pages (178-180). That's a page and a half for Scotland and a page and a half for Anglicanism and the Puritans (sorry Baptists). This means Henry VIII's Brexit from the European Union (of Roman Catholicism) is barely mentioned.
Third, this book is limited by its author's generosity with other theological perspectives. Lutzer is generous when it comes to his descriptions of Luther and the Reformers, always careful to set their foibles with in their own historical contexts. For example, Lutzer condemns Luther's anti-Jewish remarks as despicable and 'anti-Christian,' but states they rested on his commitment to 'right doctrine' rather than a desire for 'pure blood' (116) and he asserts that Luther would have opposed Hitler if he lived in the days of Nazi Germany (a curious piece of what if history) (117). Also he describes Calvin's participation in Servetus's execution, as a minor role, and he emphasizes Calvin was a creature of his time (167-168).
However, Lutzer is not quite so generous with the Catholic Church. His chapter on Luther's 95 theses, Luther's initial 'protest' against indulgences, describes the role indulgences played in Catholicism and the role it still plays in contemporary Catholicism (24-26). So from the outset we know his purpose is showcase the continuing error of Catholicism. Lutzer's final chapter is devoted to describes the great divide between Catholic and Evangelical theology and the way ecumenism waters down the gospel. He is critical of ecumenical statements like the Evangelical and Catholics Together document (1994) or the Lutheran-Catholic Concord (1999) compromises a robust understanding of Justification 'by faith alone' (188-189). He spends several pages railing against Catholic dogma and practice including things like Mariology, transubstantiation, indulgences, veneration of the saints, and superstitions (192-198). This is much more sophisticated and evenhanded in its critique than a Chick tract would be, but it does paint a grim picture of the state of Roman Catholicism today.
I am not Roman Catholic and I did find myself nodding along with several of Lutzer's critiques. Theology matters and we ought to be able to discuss these issues openly and honestly in dialogue with our Catholic sisters and brothers. However :Lutzer's broad-brush of ecumenism makes it sound like the evangelical signers and endorsers of Evangelicals and Catholics Together cared little for right doctrine and good theology. Does J.I. Packer have a watered down understanding of Justification by Faith Alone? Does Thomas Oden? Richard Mouw? How about Os Guiness? These are scholars with passion, intelligence and good theology. These are men of fervent (evangelical) faith. They have not given way to error because in a joint-statement with Catholics they chose to emphasize our shared heritage with the Church Universal. Lutzer is passionate about right doctrine but is doggeredly determined to fight the old fundamentalist fight against other branches of the Christian faith. Catholicism is but one error that he thinks evangelicals ought to combat:
Martin Luther had to rescue the gospel from the distortions of Catholicism; in some sense, our task is more difficult than his. We must rescue the gospel from Catholicism along with a host of other movements, such as fraudulent, so-called evangelicals whose entire television (or internet) programs are dedicated to "health and wealth" theology with special "breakthroughs" promised to those who send them money. We have to rescue it from theological liberals who deny the supernatural character of the Christian faith. We have to rescue it from false religions that compete for the allegiance of men and women.(200)
I share with him his concern for truth, but his lack of generosity signals a troubling tone. I can't really endorse this book, though I can't say wholly disliked it either. Lutzer does highlight the Reformation's legacy and draw attention to issues that matter. I give this two stars.
Note: I received this book from Baker Books in exchange for my honest review.
October 24, 2017
A good, serviceable, entry-level summary of the key ideas and notable people who shaped the Protestant Reformation five centuries ago. This short book, clearly and engagingly written by well-known Bible teacher Erwin Lutzer, is a fine introduction to such personalities as John Wycliffe, John Hus, John Calvin, Ulrich Zwingli, the Anabaptists, and, most especially, Martin Luther. These folks lived in a day when taking passionate doctrinal positions in opposition to the Catholic Church could get you killed quite easily -- and many, indeed, were martyred during the Reformation.
Several chapters of the book are, rightfully so, devoted to Martin Luther, a one-time monk who interestingly had not originally planned to split with the Catholic Church. He, rather, wrote his famous 95 theses as a call for the correction of perceived errors and excesses within the Church and Priesthood. As it turned out, Luther, and others like him, sparked something much, much larger.
This is not a comprehensive history nor a miles deep theological treatise, but "Rescuing The Gospel" gives the reader a clear, basic understanding of the Reformation. A worthwhile read!
Several chapters of the book are, rightfully so, devoted to Martin Luther, a one-time monk who interestingly had not originally planned to split with the Catholic Church. He, rather, wrote his famous 95 theses as a call for the correction of perceived errors and excesses within the Church and Priesthood. As it turned out, Luther, and others like him, sparked something much, much larger.
This is not a comprehensive history nor a miles deep theological treatise, but "Rescuing The Gospel" gives the reader a clear, basic understanding of the Reformation. A worthwhile read!
February 1, 2021
Erwin Luther. Rescuing the Gospel: The Story and Significance of the Reformation. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2016. 206 pp. $14.79
The 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation will soon arrive. A handful of evangelicals await this special day of celebration, when on October 31, 2017 they will remember Luther’s courageous act as he nailed the Ninety-Five Theses to the Castle Church in Wittenberg. Tragically, most will allow the day to pass by - completely unaware of the significance of the day.
Dr. Erwin Lutzer’s new book, Rescuing the Gospel: The Story and Significance of the Reformation tells the fascinating tale of the Protestant Reformation and walks readers along a God-glorifying path that shine the spotlight on the central figures of the movement, including Martin Luther, John Calvin, John Knox, and Huldrych Zwingli.
The author covers much ground in this 200 page volume. He not only surveys the broad sweep of Reformation history; he also summarizes the foundational doctrines that were rediscovered during the Reformation.
Lutzer writes in a popular style which will no doubt appeal to a wide variety of readers and skill levels. The book is filled with beautiful photographs that bring the Reformation to life and invite readers on a journey that they will not soon forget.
The concluding chapter, Is the Reformation Over? is the most important part of the book. Dr. Lutzer interacts with theologians and historians that argue for the so-called demise of the Reformation. Nothing could be further from the truth, as Lutzer makes painfully clear. Indeed, the doctrinal divide between Roman Catholics and evangelicals is deep as it is wide. The point of the chapter and the point of the whole book is this: The gospel was largely forgotten and under attack in the days leading up the to 16th century. The battle for the truth of the gospel continues in our day as well.
Rescuing the Gospel: The Story and Significance of the Reformation is an important book that will educate and inspire. It will drive readers back to the rugged terrain of history and the deep wells of Scripture. It will challenge them to engage in the ongoing work of rescuing the gospel and continuing the legacy of the Protestant Reformers. I would urge readers to pick up a copy of my recent book, Bold Reformer: Celebrating the Gospel-Centered Convictions of Martin Luther, as a companion volume to Erwin Luther’s excellent work.
Soli Deo Gloria!
The 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation will soon arrive. A handful of evangelicals await this special day of celebration, when on October 31, 2017 they will remember Luther’s courageous act as he nailed the Ninety-Five Theses to the Castle Church in Wittenberg. Tragically, most will allow the day to pass by - completely unaware of the significance of the day.
Dr. Erwin Lutzer’s new book, Rescuing the Gospel: The Story and Significance of the Reformation tells the fascinating tale of the Protestant Reformation and walks readers along a God-glorifying path that shine the spotlight on the central figures of the movement, including Martin Luther, John Calvin, John Knox, and Huldrych Zwingli.
The author covers much ground in this 200 page volume. He not only surveys the broad sweep of Reformation history; he also summarizes the foundational doctrines that were rediscovered during the Reformation.
Lutzer writes in a popular style which will no doubt appeal to a wide variety of readers and skill levels. The book is filled with beautiful photographs that bring the Reformation to life and invite readers on a journey that they will not soon forget.
The concluding chapter, Is the Reformation Over? is the most important part of the book. Dr. Lutzer interacts with theologians and historians that argue for the so-called demise of the Reformation. Nothing could be further from the truth, as Lutzer makes painfully clear. Indeed, the doctrinal divide between Roman Catholics and evangelicals is deep as it is wide. The point of the chapter and the point of the whole book is this: The gospel was largely forgotten and under attack in the days leading up the to 16th century. The battle for the truth of the gospel continues in our day as well.
Rescuing the Gospel: The Story and Significance of the Reformation is an important book that will educate and inspire. It will drive readers back to the rugged terrain of history and the deep wells of Scripture. It will challenge them to engage in the ongoing work of rescuing the gospel and continuing the legacy of the Protestant Reformers. I would urge readers to pick up a copy of my recent book, Bold Reformer: Celebrating the Gospel-Centered Convictions of Martin Luther, as a companion volume to Erwin Luther’s excellent work.
Soli Deo Gloria!
August 29, 2016
An informative and concise look at the Reformation. While much of the focus was on Martin Luther and his impact on the Catholic, Lutheran and beyond religions, it was much more than that. The author spends time on the impacts made by Zwingli, Anabaptists, Mennonites and Calvin during the same time period. It was a fascinating peek into the time period and the thought processes prevalent at the time. Towards the end of the book, the author covers current day differences between the Catholic and Protestant Religions.
I highly recommend this book for readers interested in the Reformation.
I highly recommend this book for readers interested in the Reformation.
November 24, 2021
This is an excellent overview of the major players during the reformation. It's written in a very approachable way that is not overly academic, and can talks about the main points of the reformation against the Catholic church without going into the weeds too much
March 30, 2017
Excellent book on the major characters and events in the Reformation. Recommend this for anyone wanting to dive in to church history that doesn't have time to read thousands of pages.
February 6, 2017
Excellent summary of the Reformation period and the people involved from a Protestant perspective. Lutzer explains the background that the Reformation was birthed from, noting the corruption in the Roman Catholic Church at that time, he then moves to describe the Pre-Reformers, Wycliffe and Hus.
Most of the book centers around Luther, and for good reason, he was unquestionably the most significant figure of the Reformation. The final chapters deal with other important figures briefly, such as Zwingli and Calvin. Particularly good is a chapter on the Anabaptists - a flawed but tragic group who were wrongly persecuted by both sides in the Reformation.
As a summary - not an exhaustive history - this book is a very good starting point for those with limited knowledge about the Reformation.
Most of the book centers around Luther, and for good reason, he was unquestionably the most significant figure of the Reformation. The final chapters deal with other important figures briefly, such as Zwingli and Calvin. Particularly good is a chapter on the Anabaptists - a flawed but tragic group who were wrongly persecuted by both sides in the Reformation.
As a summary - not an exhaustive history - this book is a very good starting point for those with limited knowledge about the Reformation.
August 7, 2017
Enjoyed this book. Although I don't believe the Roman Catholic Church has ever had the true Gospel, I do understand the gist of the title and enjoyed the historical journey that Lutzer takes the reader on via the pages of this book.
The lions share of the book is dedicated to Luther and his breakaway from the Roman Catholic Church. It is amazing the faith & courage it took to do such a thing back in the 1500's. In today's culture, we think nothing of dissenting voices (as they are everywhere and in all manners of medium). However, that type of decision was often a death sentence.
I like how the author gives these men who helped shake up the landscape in the Middle Ages their due although some of their actions (and even some beliefs) causes us to raise our eyebrows. Indeed, every single one of us, are but marred vessels in the Master's Hands!
The lions share of the book is dedicated to Luther and his breakaway from the Roman Catholic Church. It is amazing the faith & courage it took to do such a thing back in the 1500's. In today's culture, we think nothing of dissenting voices (as they are everywhere and in all manners of medium). However, that type of decision was often a death sentence.
I like how the author gives these men who helped shake up the landscape in the Middle Ages their due although some of their actions (and even some beliefs) causes us to raise our eyebrows. Indeed, every single one of us, are but marred vessels in the Master's Hands!
November 11, 2016
Excellent breakdown of the Reformation and how it transformed Europe and eventually the planet. The final chapter is a very good insight into how Evangelicals and Catholics should (and in some cases shouldn't) work together.
BTW, the book tops at 206 pages, not 224.
BTW, the book tops at 206 pages, not 224.
October 31, 2017
It's a spectacular read. I expected an overview of things I knew, but I realized how much I didn't know. God used the Reformation to unify the German language, as Luther translated the Bible into words that common Germans would use and understand. I learned where the term Protestant came from, and also learned a lot about Luther's writings, how the Reformation spread through other countries, and an evaluation of the movement to unify Catholics and Protestants today. Erwin Lutzer's book is a smooth, easy read, and a great pick for either personal reading or a family read-aloud. If you only read one book about the Reformation this year, Lutzer's book would be a fantastic one to invest in.
April 2, 2017
Lutzer's book is a short history of the Reformation focusing primarily on the life and influences of Martin Luther. He shows Luther's strengths and courage along with some of his foibles. He invests a chapter on John Hus, then concludes the book with a chapter on Zwingli, the Anabaptists (a good, thoughtful chapter), and Calvin.
This is a short, enlightening read for those who don't know much about the Reformation. Any who want to have a brief review (or a first primer) on the Reformation will find the book enlightening and engaging.
This is a short, enlightening read for those who don't know much about the Reformation. Any who want to have a brief review (or a first primer) on the Reformation will find the book enlightening and engaging.
September 24, 2019
Good introductory book to history of reformation. Some great ideas presented.
For example: pedobaptism of Catholic Church (and eventually reformers) comes from the strong connection of church to state and idea of one king, one church, one faith, etc. It is not a biblical doctrine, but has a strong historic sentiment and root. All the way back, this idea is connected to choice of Christianity by emperor Constantine as the title religion for his empire.
For example: pedobaptism of Catholic Church (and eventually reformers) comes from the strong connection of church to state and idea of one king, one church, one faith, etc. It is not a biblical doctrine, but has a strong historic sentiment and root. All the way back, this idea is connected to choice of Christianity by emperor Constantine as the title religion for his empire.
February 12, 2023
Easy, informative read.
April 6, 2024
3.75 ⭐️ Good information! Nothing crazy special prose wise, but would recommend to anyone wondering why Catholicism is not Christianity. Not a complete summary by any means, but a great overview.
March 26, 2021
Interesting and easy to read history of the Reformation. I would highly recommend for any history nerds or those specifically wanting to learn more about Reformation leaders.
February 9, 2023
A quick and easy read. The author, who I didn't know before this, is definitely not unbiased, but he is upfront about it.
January 29, 2022
I wish the words were as aesthetically beautiful as the pages.
It’s an okay popular level surgery of the reformation. But the focus is more on Luther than anything else. The obsession with Luther is ingrained in the very argument of the book. The Catholic Church is still evil and battles still have to be waged.
The book was incapable of showing anyone other than Luther nuance and grace. Plenty of excuses for his anti-Semitic rants, but obviously no Catholic could ever be a true Christian.
I’m as Protestant as they come, but this book is unhelpful.
It’s an okay popular level surgery of the reformation. But the focus is more on Luther than anything else. The obsession with Luther is ingrained in the very argument of the book. The Catholic Church is still evil and battles still have to be waged.
The book was incapable of showing anyone other than Luther nuance and grace. Plenty of excuses for his anti-Semitic rants, but obviously no Catholic could ever be a true Christian.
I’m as Protestant as they come, but this book is unhelpful.
June 20, 2016
I won this book for GoodReads First Reads
This is a short history of the reformation. The first 3/4 of the book is on Luther and is interesting and well written. Subsequent chapters an Zwingli, the Anabaptists and Calvin are so short as to be almost distracting and bring my rating down. However, it is the final anti-Catholic chapter that really impacts my rating.
I have reservations in recommending this book, but would recommend readers stop after chapter 12.
This is a short history of the reformation. The first 3/4 of the book is on Luther and is interesting and well written. Subsequent chapters an Zwingli, the Anabaptists and Calvin are so short as to be almost distracting and bring my rating down. However, it is the final anti-Catholic chapter that really impacts my rating.
I have reservations in recommending this book, but would recommend readers stop after chapter 12.
March 21, 2017
Overall, this book is a great introduction to and overview of the Reformation (and it's a fitting book to read this year because 2017 marks the 500th anniversary of the Reformation!). I wonder how many people in the church today have even a basic understanding of what the Reformation is and why it needed to happen. For those who don't know about the Reformation, and for those who just want to be reminded anew, I think this book is a good one to read. Here are a few reasons why:
Readability: Lutzer's prose is readable without being simplistic. I definitely think his target audience is the average church member, not just history nerds, seminary grads, and the like. In that regard, his writing style works well. People who don't read a lot of nonfiction/church history could certainly read and enjoy this book.
Approach: This book is a good mixture of history, biography, and doctrine. As you read, you get an overview of the actual events surrounding the Reformation, a mini biography of Martin Luther (as well as some brief focus on people like Wycliffe, Zwingli, and Calvin), and a layman's explanation of the doctrines that came to the forefront during the Reformation.
Honesty: Lutzer doesn't give a romanticized view of the Reformers. What I mean is that he is honest about their faults and shortcomings. Luther, Zwingli, Calvin, and others were not perfect men, and Lutzer doesn't try to make them out to be by discussing only their good sides. But at the same time, Lutzer wholeheartedly celebrates all the good that they did for the church and the gospel. I love this balanced approach. As Christians who respect and affirm truth, we shouldn't try to ignore or cover up the fact that our spiritual heroes still sin. God, in His wisdom and sovereignty, doesn't make believers perfect at conversion. And God, in His grace, continues to use them in spite of the continued struggle with sin. The narratives of Scripture (Abraham, David, Peter, etc.) bear this out, as does our own experience. So as a reader, I very much appreciate Lutzer's willingness to write kindly yet honestly about the Reformers.
Pictures: This book includes pictures! Yay! Need I say more?
Relevance: Although the Reformation happened centuries ago, it is still incredibly relevant to the church today. In the book's final chapter, Lutzer grieves present-day attempts by evangelicals and Catholics to say that they are united when in fact they are still separated by contrary views of the gospel. As long as the Catholic church continues to hold to a false gospel, there can be no unity. And to close out the book, Lutzer reminds us that the gospel is still under attack today. Like the Reformers, we, too, face others' attempts to soil the good news of Jesus Christ that we love so much. Lutzer explains the issue much better than I can:
(Read for the 2017 Tim Challies Christian Reading Challenge: A book about the Reformation)
Readability: Lutzer's prose is readable without being simplistic. I definitely think his target audience is the average church member, not just history nerds, seminary grads, and the like. In that regard, his writing style works well. People who don't read a lot of nonfiction/church history could certainly read and enjoy this book.
Approach: This book is a good mixture of history, biography, and doctrine. As you read, you get an overview of the actual events surrounding the Reformation, a mini biography of Martin Luther (as well as some brief focus on people like Wycliffe, Zwingli, and Calvin), and a layman's explanation of the doctrines that came to the forefront during the Reformation.
Honesty: Lutzer doesn't give a romanticized view of the Reformers. What I mean is that he is honest about their faults and shortcomings. Luther, Zwingli, Calvin, and others were not perfect men, and Lutzer doesn't try to make them out to be by discussing only their good sides. But at the same time, Lutzer wholeheartedly celebrates all the good that they did for the church and the gospel. I love this balanced approach. As Christians who respect and affirm truth, we shouldn't try to ignore or cover up the fact that our spiritual heroes still sin. God, in His wisdom and sovereignty, doesn't make believers perfect at conversion. And God, in His grace, continues to use them in spite of the continued struggle with sin. The narratives of Scripture (Abraham, David, Peter, etc.) bear this out, as does our own experience. So as a reader, I very much appreciate Lutzer's willingness to write kindly yet honestly about the Reformers.
Pictures: This book includes pictures! Yay! Need I say more?
Relevance: Although the Reformation happened centuries ago, it is still incredibly relevant to the church today. In the book's final chapter, Lutzer grieves present-day attempts by evangelicals and Catholics to say that they are united when in fact they are still separated by contrary views of the gospel. As long as the Catholic church continues to hold to a false gospel, there can be no unity. And to close out the book, Lutzer reminds us that the gospel is still under attack today. Like the Reformers, we, too, face others' attempts to soil the good news of Jesus Christ that we love so much. Lutzer explains the issue much better than I can:
Martin Luther had to rescue the gospel from the distortions of Catholicism; in some sense, our task is more difficult than his. We must rescue the gospel from Catholicism along with a host of other movements, such as fraudulent, so-called evangelicals whose entire television (or internet) programs are dedicated to “health and wealth” theology with special “breakthroughs” promised to those who send them money. We have to rescue it from theological liberals who deny the supernatural character of the Christian faith. We have to rescue it from false religions that compete for the allegiance of men and women. We must rescue it from the cults who come to our doorsteps; we must rescue it from all who think that it is up to them to contribute to their salvation and that they must make themselves worthy to receive it. We must remind the world that the gospel of the New Testament is for the spiritually needy who have nothing to offer God; they come not to give but to receive; they come not just to be helped but to be rescued. Their contribution to salvation is their sin; God’s grace supplies everything else.Great book!
(Read for the 2017 Tim Challies Christian Reading Challenge: A book about the Reformation)
December 29, 2023
Definitely a textbook, I would have preferred this textbook in my high school Church History class. Lutzer begins this history with John Wycliffe and Jan Hus, but the majority discusses Luther, his narrative in the Reformation, his writings, his translation of the Bible into German, and his later personal life. Lutzer continues with Zwingli and Calvin giving considerable coverage of the role they each played in the deaths of others. Lutzer explains how each giant may have come to a place where their actions and convictions made sense to them but simultaneously denounces those horrifying actions and beliefs which are altogether anti-Christian.
There was nothing moderate about Luther. Hearing so much of his work quoted, honestly, I’m not sure I would have supported him in that day. He argued ferociously, striking blows below the belt. He did not apologize for name-calling which he did regularly and vociferously. He called Cardinal Cajetan an ass playing a harp and Erasmus an Eel that only Christ could grab. Seriously. The man took no prisoners. I agreed with so much of what he said but could not agree with how he said it. Aside, he made a stand. It was a stand the world needed him to make in order to pave the way for religious freedom. The author traces these consequences through European history in a way that encouraged my heart.
Lutzer also covers the three most controversial views of Martin Luther, namely: 1) the role he played in the peasant uprising in Germany and how his writings were used to support Nazi sympathizers in the German churches, 2) his staunch support of God’s will over free will and his falling out with Erasmus, and 3) his strong anti-Semitic writings. With each of these, Lutzer responds, mostly with explanations, but he takes more time with Luther’s anti-semitism. I had no idea Hitler quoted Luther in “Mein Kempf”. Lutzer unequivocally condemns Luther’s anti-Semitic writings with an explanation for its incompatibility with the gospel calling them, “despicable and anti-Christian, to be strongly denounced.”
Luther’s marriage to Katarina Von Bora was utterly amusing. God saw to it that they were well-matched. She managed their household and all money matters so well that Luther never even learned how to handle money. She was equal to him in education, wit, and sass. One day, when he was particularly depressed, she dressed in full mourning. When he asked her who had died, she reportedly said, “God has died. Haven’t you heard?”
Lutzer ended this work with modern implications of the reformation giving first hand and primary source information on the modern Catholicism’s view of the gospel. I found his discussion on the 1999 coalition of Catholics and Protestants more impactful (with less word count) than R.C. Sproul’s “Getting the Gospel Right”. He made an excellent case for our stance as Reformers who are still reforming.
There was nothing moderate about Luther. Hearing so much of his work quoted, honestly, I’m not sure I would have supported him in that day. He argued ferociously, striking blows below the belt. He did not apologize for name-calling which he did regularly and vociferously. He called Cardinal Cajetan an ass playing a harp and Erasmus an Eel that only Christ could grab. Seriously. The man took no prisoners. I agreed with so much of what he said but could not agree with how he said it. Aside, he made a stand. It was a stand the world needed him to make in order to pave the way for religious freedom. The author traces these consequences through European history in a way that encouraged my heart.
Lutzer also covers the three most controversial views of Martin Luther, namely: 1) the role he played in the peasant uprising in Germany and how his writings were used to support Nazi sympathizers in the German churches, 2) his staunch support of God’s will over free will and his falling out with Erasmus, and 3) his strong anti-Semitic writings. With each of these, Lutzer responds, mostly with explanations, but he takes more time with Luther’s anti-semitism. I had no idea Hitler quoted Luther in “Mein Kempf”. Lutzer unequivocally condemns Luther’s anti-Semitic writings with an explanation for its incompatibility with the gospel calling them, “despicable and anti-Christian, to be strongly denounced.”
Luther’s marriage to Katarina Von Bora was utterly amusing. God saw to it that they were well-matched. She managed their household and all money matters so well that Luther never even learned how to handle money. She was equal to him in education, wit, and sass. One day, when he was particularly depressed, she dressed in full mourning. When he asked her who had died, she reportedly said, “God has died. Haven’t you heard?”
Lutzer ended this work with modern implications of the reformation giving first hand and primary source information on the modern Catholicism’s view of the gospel. I found his discussion on the 1999 coalition of Catholics and Protestants more impactful (with less word count) than R.C. Sproul’s “Getting the Gospel Right”. He made an excellent case for our stance as Reformers who are still reforming.
June 9, 2025
After reading this book and digging deeper into church history, I’ve been struck by how often the church has made the same mistakes over and over again. It’s a reminder of how human we are and how easily we end up dividing instead of working together. I also found the title of the book—Rescuing the Gospel—interesting. It makes it sound like Jesus needed us to step in and save His message, which doesn’t quite sit right with me. Jesus is fully able to keep His truth alive, even when the church stumbles.
The Reformation was without a doubt an important moment in church history. It brought much-needed correction to the corruption and incorrect biblical interpretations that had overtaken the medieval Catholic Church. It helped refocus the church on key gospel truths like salvation by grace through faith, the authority of Scripture, and the priesthood of all believers. These are foundational to our faith today, and we should celebrate the good that God accomplished during that time. However, we also need to be careful not to treat the Reformation like the ultimate or final moment in God’s work with His church. It was one important chapter in a much bigger story of how God uses imperfect people and movements to advance His kingdom.
At the same time, the Reformation reminds us of how often the church divides instead of finding ways to come together. The divisions that began during that time are still felt today, with Protestantism splintering into countless denominations. While it’s clear that uniting with the Catholic Church as it existed in the 16th century would have been incredibly difficult—given the corruption and resistance to reform—we also have to admit that the Reformation, for all its positives, came at the cost of greater unity in the body of Christ. This wasn’t just the fault of the reformers; it was the result of human sinfulness on all sides. It shows us how far we still are from Jesus’ prayer in John 17:21: "That they may all be one."
The Reformation teaches us important lessons. It shows how vital it is to stand for truth, but it also shows the pain that comes with division. It challenges us to hold tightly to God’s Word while also living with humility, love, and a desire for reconciliation. While we honor the reformers’ courage, we should also grieve the ways the church has fractured and work toward embodying Christ’s call to unity—not by compromising truth, but by approaching one another with grace, patience, and love. God can bring incredible good out of even the hardest moments, but the Reformation also challenges us to seek His wisdom in how we handle disagreements, always striving to reflect the grace and truth of Jesus.
The Reformation was without a doubt an important moment in church history. It brought much-needed correction to the corruption and incorrect biblical interpretations that had overtaken the medieval Catholic Church. It helped refocus the church on key gospel truths like salvation by grace through faith, the authority of Scripture, and the priesthood of all believers. These are foundational to our faith today, and we should celebrate the good that God accomplished during that time. However, we also need to be careful not to treat the Reformation like the ultimate or final moment in God’s work with His church. It was one important chapter in a much bigger story of how God uses imperfect people and movements to advance His kingdom.
At the same time, the Reformation reminds us of how often the church divides instead of finding ways to come together. The divisions that began during that time are still felt today, with Protestantism splintering into countless denominations. While it’s clear that uniting with the Catholic Church as it existed in the 16th century would have been incredibly difficult—given the corruption and resistance to reform—we also have to admit that the Reformation, for all its positives, came at the cost of greater unity in the body of Christ. This wasn’t just the fault of the reformers; it was the result of human sinfulness on all sides. It shows us how far we still are from Jesus’ prayer in John 17:21: "That they may all be one."
The Reformation teaches us important lessons. It shows how vital it is to stand for truth, but it also shows the pain that comes with division. It challenges us to hold tightly to God’s Word while also living with humility, love, and a desire for reconciliation. While we honor the reformers’ courage, we should also grieve the ways the church has fractured and work toward embodying Christ’s call to unity—not by compromising truth, but by approaching one another with grace, patience, and love. God can bring incredible good out of even the hardest moments, but the Reformation also challenges us to seek His wisdom in how we handle disagreements, always striving to reflect the grace and truth of Jesus.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 29, 2019
Rescuing the Gospel: The Story and Significance of the Reformation by Erwin W. Lutzer is mostly about what the title says it's about, the tale told with a modern evangelical bias. As the long-time pastor of the Moody Bible Church, The author is undeniably qualified to write from that perspective.
The author does well in summarizing the historical events that led some intrepid Roman Catholics to speak out about abuses and outrageous practices in the instution of that day, resulting in a permanent and irreparable break, today most generally characterized as Catholic versus Protestant. The details of what happened and who said what have all been covered well in other books by armies of scholars. I'm reminded in particular of the excellent biography "Here I Stand: A Life of Martin Luther" by Roland Bainton, which I read with great care and interest in about 1964.
Mr. Lutzer also does a reasonable job of describing the scriptural reasons that Luther and others had for differing with the Church on many specifics. As I recall, Bainton's book, being more of a pure history, does not do this to the same degree, but as an evalengelical pastor, Mr. Lutzen pursues that line of evidence to the extent he understands it.
Unfortunately, the things that Luther and other reformers said barely scratched the surface of what was wrong, since the Church had been an apostate organization for over a thousand years and was beyond reform. Most all of what also was broken at that time still is and appears unlikely to change.
The book (like the Reformation movement itself) makes no mention whatever regarding the all-important issue of sanctifying God's name, the very first item Jesus Christ mentioned the his so-called "Lord's prayer" at Matthew 6:9, nor of God's eternal sovereignty and the rigthness of his rulership, mentioned next by Jesus.
The assumption on both sides of the divide has always been the belief that the soul is immortal and that the central message of Christianity is about the salvation of individual souls so that when they die they can make it to heaven instead of being condemned to hell for eternity. That was the issue that worried Martin Luther when he was still a monk.
The book ends with a discussion of modern feeble efforts to join the two sides together on points of agreement, including typical "Why can't we all just get along together?" ecumenical verbiage, arguing over the subtleties and nuances of points where both sides have been hopelessly broken for centuries and always will be.
The author does well in summarizing the historical events that led some intrepid Roman Catholics to speak out about abuses and outrageous practices in the instution of that day, resulting in a permanent and irreparable break, today most generally characterized as Catholic versus Protestant. The details of what happened and who said what have all been covered well in other books by armies of scholars. I'm reminded in particular of the excellent biography "Here I Stand: A Life of Martin Luther" by Roland Bainton, which I read with great care and interest in about 1964.
Mr. Lutzer also does a reasonable job of describing the scriptural reasons that Luther and others had for differing with the Church on many specifics. As I recall, Bainton's book, being more of a pure history, does not do this to the same degree, but as an evalengelical pastor, Mr. Lutzen pursues that line of evidence to the extent he understands it.
Unfortunately, the things that Luther and other reformers said barely scratched the surface of what was wrong, since the Church had been an apostate organization for over a thousand years and was beyond reform. Most all of what also was broken at that time still is and appears unlikely to change.
The book (like the Reformation movement itself) makes no mention whatever regarding the all-important issue of sanctifying God's name, the very first item Jesus Christ mentioned the his so-called "Lord's prayer" at Matthew 6:9, nor of God's eternal sovereignty and the rigthness of his rulership, mentioned next by Jesus.
The assumption on both sides of the divide has always been the belief that the soul is immortal and that the central message of Christianity is about the salvation of individual souls so that when they die they can make it to heaven instead of being condemned to hell for eternity. That was the issue that worried Martin Luther when he was still a monk.
The book ends with a discussion of modern feeble efforts to join the two sides together on points of agreement, including typical "Why can't we all just get along together?" ecumenical verbiage, arguing over the subtleties and nuances of points where both sides have been hopelessly broken for centuries and always will be.
June 17, 2023
I really wanted to like this book. I have read some of Lutzer's other works and high expectations. While I appreciated Lutzer's desire to once again elevate the gospel in Evengelicalism, this work was a rather poor effort. It has some beautiful illustrations, but I found myself scratching my head at several of his historical accounts. I'm no expert in Christian history, but I have read some decent books on Christian history. Let's just say that if Lutzer's accounts are correct then several of the other works I read were not. Even when he gets the facts basically correct, he definitely puts a spin on them to better support his own theological positions than what they actually do.
One example: His accounting of how infant baptism started is very different from anything I have read or heard anywhere else. He claims it was started for political reasons to keep people faithful and united with the state. I’m pretty sure infant baptism was common by at least the second century, meaning it predates the legalization of Christianity with Constantine and therefore predates any political motivation for it. The state may have found infant baptism to be politically expedient, but that is not nearly the same as saying it was started for political reasons.
Here is another example of something I know to be not quite right:
"Because of the tenacity of both sides, the division remained, as is evident even today between Lutheran and Reformed churches. Philip of Hesse’s vision of a united Reformed Church was never realized."
This was referring to the dispute over the Lord’s supper between Zwingli and Luther. Lutzer makes it sound as if Zwingli was on the Reformed (Calvinist) side of the issue, but he was not. Zwingli had a distinctly third view of the Lord’s supper. Calvinists believed in the real presence of Christ and Lutherans believed something similar about the real presence of Christ but closer to transubstantiation and Zwingli believed in a strictly memorial view. Calvinists and Lutherans both disliked Zwingli and thought him too radical.
One example: His accounting of how infant baptism started is very different from anything I have read or heard anywhere else. He claims it was started for political reasons to keep people faithful and united with the state. I’m pretty sure infant baptism was common by at least the second century, meaning it predates the legalization of Christianity with Constantine and therefore predates any political motivation for it. The state may have found infant baptism to be politically expedient, but that is not nearly the same as saying it was started for political reasons.
Here is another example of something I know to be not quite right:
"Because of the tenacity of both sides, the division remained, as is evident even today between Lutheran and Reformed churches. Philip of Hesse’s vision of a united Reformed Church was never realized."
This was referring to the dispute over the Lord’s supper between Zwingli and Luther. Lutzer makes it sound as if Zwingli was on the Reformed (Calvinist) side of the issue, but he was not. Zwingli had a distinctly third view of the Lord’s supper. Calvinists believed in the real presence of Christ and Lutherans believed something similar about the real presence of Christ but closer to transubstantiation and Zwingli believed in a strictly memorial view. Calvinists and Lutherans both disliked Zwingli and thought him too radical.
August 14, 2017
Erwin Lutzer's Rescuing the Gospel is an approachable tour of the Reformation and it's events, covering primarily Martin Luther's contributions. Much of the book has quotations from a secondary source (as opposed to Luther's direct writings) which makes looking at the footnotes a little boring. This is, however, my one critique.
As far as the book's structure, Lutzer is using his own tours of Reformation-lands (if you will) to guide the reader through the different events which culminate the Protestant Reformation. He does not treat every event in great detail (if he did this book would be much larger), but instead chooses to bring to light what many readers may simply not know.
Rescuing the Gospel is meant to be an introduction to the Reformation, and it makes no claims to be a book or a scholastic quality. Lutzer, in an almost-conversational tone, walks the reader through many issues of the Reformation, even going over some of Luther's significant character flaws. Lutzer doesn't shy away from treating issues like Hitler's quotations of Martin Luther, and even dives into the context of why Hitler's understandings of Luther are surface-level at best.
This piece by Lutzer is an excellent treatment of history over the Reformation. The book is an enjoyable read, is structured very nicely, and has beautiful pictures all the way throughout. There are a lot of misunderstandings surrounding the Reformation, many of which Lutzer brashly waltzes through (and this is a good thing!), and while I'm sure many readers will complain about how introductory the material is, I will merely state my enjoyment over it. Very few people will engage the history of the Reformation, they will miss the importance of the Reformation on their current time, and will even complain about the atrocities of Protestantism without considering their historical roots. This book is a tool to begin healing those wounds by providing historical context to the Protestant lineage.
As far as the book's structure, Lutzer is using his own tours of Reformation-lands (if you will) to guide the reader through the different events which culminate the Protestant Reformation. He does not treat every event in great detail (if he did this book would be much larger), but instead chooses to bring to light what many readers may simply not know.
Rescuing the Gospel is meant to be an introduction to the Reformation, and it makes no claims to be a book or a scholastic quality. Lutzer, in an almost-conversational tone, walks the reader through many issues of the Reformation, even going over some of Luther's significant character flaws. Lutzer doesn't shy away from treating issues like Hitler's quotations of Martin Luther, and even dives into the context of why Hitler's understandings of Luther are surface-level at best.
This piece by Lutzer is an excellent treatment of history over the Reformation. The book is an enjoyable read, is structured very nicely, and has beautiful pictures all the way throughout. There are a lot of misunderstandings surrounding the Reformation, many of which Lutzer brashly waltzes through (and this is a good thing!), and while I'm sure many readers will complain about how introductory the material is, I will merely state my enjoyment over it. Very few people will engage the history of the Reformation, they will miss the importance of the Reformation on their current time, and will even complain about the atrocities of Protestantism without considering their historical roots. This book is a tool to begin healing those wounds by providing historical context to the Protestant lineage.
May 9, 2022
An evangelical pastor's review of the Reformation.
Structured as follows: issues within Catholicism, pre-reformation Christians, specifically John Wycliffe and Jan Huss, a fairly comprehensive review of Luther's life and thought, Uldrich Zwingli and the Radical Reformation, John Calvin and Geneva, and contemporary relations between Catholics and Protestants.
The purpose of the book is to assert that accretions and moral corruption within the Catholic Church diluted the Gospel and Martin Luther recovered it. Luther's affirmation of salvation by grace through faith alone and the consequential assurance resulting from receiving the free and imputed righteousness of Christ freed Christians from the yoke of Catholic sacramentalism and rescued the Gospel. Lutzer at times is very balanced. He properly explains the theology of indulgences as forgiveness of temporal punishments of sin, addresses Luther's anti-Semitism, has some humbling accounts of Catholic persecution of Protestants (though relatively fewer accounts of Protestant violence) and provides some fair presentations of Catholic theology (though he provides summaries, not many firsthand accounts of Catholic theologians during this period).
Yet, his purpose is clearly polemical. He wants the reader to know that the fullness of the Gospel is at stake and Catholicism, unfortunately, maintained (and still maintains) a false Gospel.
Certainly worth reading/listening to. However, it is not the best source to understand Catholicism's perspective or to read a neutral account of events/people from the time.
Structured as follows: issues within Catholicism, pre-reformation Christians, specifically John Wycliffe and Jan Huss, a fairly comprehensive review of Luther's life and thought, Uldrich Zwingli and the Radical Reformation, John Calvin and Geneva, and contemporary relations between Catholics and Protestants.
The purpose of the book is to assert that accretions and moral corruption within the Catholic Church diluted the Gospel and Martin Luther recovered it. Luther's affirmation of salvation by grace through faith alone and the consequential assurance resulting from receiving the free and imputed righteousness of Christ freed Christians from the yoke of Catholic sacramentalism and rescued the Gospel. Lutzer at times is very balanced. He properly explains the theology of indulgences as forgiveness of temporal punishments of sin, addresses Luther's anti-Semitism, has some humbling accounts of Catholic persecution of Protestants (though relatively fewer accounts of Protestant violence) and provides some fair presentations of Catholic theology (though he provides summaries, not many firsthand accounts of Catholic theologians during this period).
Yet, his purpose is clearly polemical. He wants the reader to know that the fullness of the Gospel is at stake and Catholicism, unfortunately, maintained (and still maintains) a false Gospel.
Certainly worth reading/listening to. However, it is not the best source to understand Catholicism's perspective or to read a neutral account of events/people from the time.
November 30, 2017
An excellent book that I thoroughly enjoyed reading. Lutzer does a wonderful job of showing the background that lead up to the Reformation, showing the staggering corruption of the Roman Catholic church and the unholy union between church and state. The stage was set for the arrival of Martin Luther onto the ecclesiastical scene, though the groundwork for the Reformation had already been laid by a few others who preceded him. "Rescuing" does a wonderful job of giving a survey of Luther's impact on the church, showing his theological commitments, his pressing convictions, and even his wit as he confronted the corruption of church and government alike. But the book doesn't get the reader bogged down in all of the minute details of that time in history. It's a survey of how God used Luther, Zwingli, Calvin, Knox, etc., to rescue the gospel. In doing this, however, Lutzer also talks about Luther's (and others') struggles and missteps and the results of those unfortunate beliefs (i.e., how Luther's statements influenced the mindset of the Nazi's, or at least were used to influence that mindset). So the book isn't just designed to color Luther in only a positive light, but to show the human and sinful side of Luther as well. I think this book would be a great read for a high school history class in a private school setting or a home school setting. I really enjoyed reading this book.
June 10, 2017
A Perfect Gospel Rescued By Imperfect People
On one hand, a concise account of how certain men in a certain period of history discovered and proclaimed the one and only Good News that Jesus Christ came, lived the perfect life we could never lived, died to take our punishment, and rose from the dead to prove that by trusting in his person and work alone is sufficient for reconciliation with God. In this I rejoice because we are no longer subject to the blasphemies of the Roman Catholic Church.
On the other hand, I am saddened to think about how different reformers and their followers would persecute and kill other reformers because they didn't agree. Unthinkable that some would drown others over the issue of baptism, for example. Maybe I can accept the mutual persecution among the fledgling Protestants because Romanism was so ingrained for centuries, the idea of different understandings of Scripture existing side by side would take time. The way I see it, Luther, Zwingli, Calvin, et.al. got the reformation started, but were still flawed men.
As a result, I agree with Dr. Lutzer that we are still reforming. We still need to unite around the essentials, not despite the essentials, and that unity around only the essentials.
This reading helped me focus on the gospel, the whole gospel, and nothing but the gospel.
On one hand, a concise account of how certain men in a certain period of history discovered and proclaimed the one and only Good News that Jesus Christ came, lived the perfect life we could never lived, died to take our punishment, and rose from the dead to prove that by trusting in his person and work alone is sufficient for reconciliation with God. In this I rejoice because we are no longer subject to the blasphemies of the Roman Catholic Church.
On the other hand, I am saddened to think about how different reformers and their followers would persecute and kill other reformers because they didn't agree. Unthinkable that some would drown others over the issue of baptism, for example. Maybe I can accept the mutual persecution among the fledgling Protestants because Romanism was so ingrained for centuries, the idea of different understandings of Scripture existing side by side would take time. The way I see it, Luther, Zwingli, Calvin, et.al. got the reformation started, but were still flawed men.
As a result, I agree with Dr. Lutzer that we are still reforming. We still need to unite around the essentials, not despite the essentials, and that unity around only the essentials.
This reading helped me focus on the gospel, the whole gospel, and nothing but the gospel.
August 9, 2017
This book is a history of the Reformation. It explains what the Catholic church was at that time and the attempts for reform and those that led up to Martin Luther and the Reformation. This book is easy to read and provides a good discussion of what happened during the Reformation and after. I really enjoyed this book and learned a lot.
My one point of contention with the book is toward the end. In discussing Calvinism, the author discusses the concept of predestination. It seems clear from the text that the author shares this viewpoint. I do not think that the majority of Protestants agree with the concept of predestination.
The author ends with a chapter on whether the reformation is over. Answer - yes and no. Yes the Reformation from the 1500s is over, but the author points to continued areas of contention.
While I agree, yes there are theological differences between Catholics and Protestants, I am less bothered by those differences than the author. Many Protestant churches have differences of opinion on certain areas (baptism, the Lord's Supper, predestination) and the author does point these out but seems ok with those but not with the Catholic differences. I thought that was a bit harsh. But the rest of the book was a great history lesson on the Reformation.
I received a free copy from Goodreads but my opinions are my own.
My one point of contention with the book is toward the end. In discussing Calvinism, the author discusses the concept of predestination. It seems clear from the text that the author shares this viewpoint. I do not think that the majority of Protestants agree with the concept of predestination.
The author ends with a chapter on whether the reformation is over. Answer - yes and no. Yes the Reformation from the 1500s is over, but the author points to continued areas of contention.
While I agree, yes there are theological differences between Catholics and Protestants, I am less bothered by those differences than the author. Many Protestant churches have differences of opinion on certain areas (baptism, the Lord's Supper, predestination) and the author does point these out but seems ok with those but not with the Catholic differences. I thought that was a bit harsh. But the rest of the book was a great history lesson on the Reformation.
I received a free copy from Goodreads but my opinions are my own.
June 9, 2017
This year is the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. But many Protestant Christians are unaware of the church history underpinning their faith.
This book is an excellent introduction to Luther and other important theologians such as Calvin and Zwingli. The author writes clearly and the combination of biography and theology makes the book very readable.
The quality of the book is also a positive with a large number of colour pictures, adding to the enjoyment of the read.
The author does not shy away from some of the more controversial beliefs of the leaders of the Reformation, showing them to be flawed individuals despite their passion for God's word and their grasping of the gospel message and the importance of God's word, our dependence on God's grace, the need for faith in Christ alone, all to give glory to God.
The book ends with a challenging discussion about the continued need for the Reformation, and the challenges that remain in Protestants' relationships with the Catholic Church. Well worth reading and thinking through in light of the 5 solas.
I would thoroughly recommend this book if you are interested in understanding this key part of Protestant church history and theology.
This book is an excellent introduction to Luther and other important theologians such as Calvin and Zwingli. The author writes clearly and the combination of biography and theology makes the book very readable.
The quality of the book is also a positive with a large number of colour pictures, adding to the enjoyment of the read.
The author does not shy away from some of the more controversial beliefs of the leaders of the Reformation, showing them to be flawed individuals despite their passion for God's word and their grasping of the gospel message and the importance of God's word, our dependence on God's grace, the need for faith in Christ alone, all to give glory to God.
The book ends with a challenging discussion about the continued need for the Reformation, and the challenges that remain in Protestants' relationships with the Catholic Church. Well worth reading and thinking through in light of the 5 solas.
I would thoroughly recommend this book if you are interested in understanding this key part of Protestant church history and theology.
March 13, 2022
Joel R. Beeke, pastor of Heritage (né Netherlands) Reformed Church and president of Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary perhaps sums up this book best when he refers to it as a "little Reformation 101." It is indeed. Pastor emeritus of Moody Church in Chicago and author Erwin Lutzer quickly breezes through most of the major points of the Protestant Reformation (including what led up to it) in a very engaging and readable manner. He spends much of his time on Martin Luther for obvious reasons, but doesn't leave out the other most prominent reformers. It is evident throughout that though Lutzer is writing for a general audience, his familiarity with the subject matter is very deep. I would say the primary thrust of the book is an attempt to explain WHY the Reformation happened. To this end, I found the final chapter "Is the Reformation Over" to be a great itemization of the serious theological chasms that still exists today between much of official Catholic doctrine and Protestantism.
Highly recommend for anyone with an interest in the subject matter, especially those who don't have the time or inclination to read more hefty academic treatments. You will get what you need here.
Highly recommend for anyone with an interest in the subject matter, especially those who don't have the time or inclination to read more hefty academic treatments. You will get what you need here.
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