مقدمه‌ای بر تفکر نهضت اصلاح دینی

by Alister E. McGrath, بهروز حدادی (Translator)

کتاب مقدمه‌ای بر تفکر نهضت اصلاح دینی، نوشته آلیستر مک‌گراث افزون بر تبیین آموزه‌های اساسی و اختلاف‌برانگیز مسیحیت به بررسی جامع یکی از مقاطع سرنوشت‌ساز تاریخ مسیحیت پرداخته است.

Genres: History, Theology, Christian, Church History, Religion, Nonfiction, Christianity

624 pages, Paperback

First published December 12, 1941

About the author

Alister Edgar McGrath is a Northern Irish theologian, priest, intellectual historian, scientist, and Christian apologist. He currently holds the Andreas Idreos Professorship in Science and Religion in the Faculty of Theology and Religion at the University of Oxford, and is Professor of Divinity at Gresham College. He was previously Professor of Theology, Ministry, and Education at King's College London and Head of the Centre for Theology, Religion and Culture, Professor of Historical Theology at the University of Oxford, and was principal of Wycliffe Hall, Oxford, until 2005. He is an Anglican priest and is ordained within the Church of England.

Aside from being a faculty member at Oxford, McGrath has also taught at Cambridge University and is a Teaching Fellow at Regent College. McGrath holds three doctorates from the University of Oxford, a DPhil in Molecular Biophysics, a Doctor of Divinity in Theology and a Doctor of Letters in Intellectual History.

McGrath is noted for his work in historical theology, systematic theology, and the relationship between science and religion, as well as his writings on apologetics. He is also known for his opposition to New Atheism and antireligionism and his advocacy of theological critical realism. Among his best-known books are The Twilight of Atheism, The Dawkins Delusion?: Atheist Fundamentalism and the Denial of the Divine, Dawkins' God: Genes, Memes, and the Meaning of Life, and A Scientific Theology. He is also the author of a number of popular textbooks on theology.

Reviews

[فؤاد · Rating 4 out of 5]

بر خلاف کتاب دیگهٔ همین نویسنده درسنامه الهیات مسیحی که به نظرم کتاب خوبی نیست، چون بیش از حد می‌خواد همه چیز رو بگه و در نتیجه خوانندهٔ تازه‌کار با کلی اطلاعات گیج‌کننده روبه‌رو می‌شه و نمی‌تونه تصویر کلی‌ای به دست بیاره، این کتاب خیلی تمیز و شسته رفته، بدون آشفتگی و سر صبر مضامین اصلی تفکر نهضت اصلاح دینی رو توضیح می‌ده و خوانندهٔ تازه‌کار رو کاملاً شیرفهم می‌کنه.

[Brian Eshleman · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was about the texture and tone of a classroom lecture, and considering the grandeur of the material the author was handling, that was somewhat disappointing. What I mean is that he didn't really "zoom in" on particular seems and nuanced personalities in order to give the reader a real sense of the times. Meanwhile, he didn't back up enough to provide the kind of big picture application that would readily connect the questions with which these giants wrestled to those we grapple with today.

SECOND READING: I got a few engaging nuggets this time, but still hold to the above verdict.

[David Haines · Rating 4 out of 5]

A balanced and rapid summary of the main concerns and ideas that fueled the Reformation. He looks primarily at the positions of the most well known Scholars of the time period, giving less time to scholars who, those less known now, were just as influential at that time. His final chapter is the least helpful part of the book, though he does provide some things to think about. Excellent as a textbook, as it provides exactly the type of summary needed by students. I read the fifth edition. It is redundant at times, and there are many spelling errors, word repetitions, and missing words. I suppose this is to be expected in any book.

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read the 2nd edition. A nice introduction, though some of the scholarship is now a little dated.

[Lucas Bragança · Rating 4 out of 5]

Um bom livro! Conta a história do pensamento da reforma por temas. Isso deixa o livro um pouco repetitivo, mas talvez facilite na hora de fazer consultas. O autor tem um conhecimento muito grande, sempre trazendo uma bagagem boa de contexto histórico, o que deixa as coisas mais claras. Em cada tema o autor tenta trazer as opiniões de Lutero, Zuínglio, Calvino e da ICAR, mas nem sempre é assim. Senti falta de alguns nomes (John Knox por exemplo nem aparece no livro) e de uma abrangência maior em alguns temas. Mas no que se propõe é um bom livro.

[Thiago Martinello · Rating 4 out of 5]

O livro tem muita informação útil, embora a leitura tenha sido um pouco enfadonha. Abrange resumidamente os principais pensamentos que permearam o final da Idade Média e as ideias que tiveram ênfase na Reforma, além de mostrar o impacto da Reforma nos anos subsequentes.
O livro é bom, embora não seja impactante. Pela leitura eu daria 03, mas pelo conteúdo vale 04.

[Emily Crutchley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Diss tings

[Marcus Vinicius · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Meaning of the Reformation
The reformation in Europe produced a major change in the way christian beliefs were understand and social life experienced. Alister E. McGrath wrote a clear and readable book about the period and theological ideas it produced. Drawing from the main theses of Luther, Zwingli and Calvin, the author explain the thought and the controversies occurred. The main doctrines of reformed theology are presented with special attention to the distinct emphasis gave by the reformers. After all one gets a clear view of the reformation's ideas and the context in with they were generated.

[Gary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Personally I found such a guide, that assumes nothing of its readers, very helpful indeed. And unlike most textbooks this is readable, lucid and, dare I say, warm.

McGrath clearly has a thorough grasp on his subject. And apart from the conveyance of some of his own 'doubts' this is unmistakably a book which thinks the Reformation (especially under Calvin) was glorious and amazing. A good read.

Liked it a lot.

[Timothy Maples · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fine introduction to the issues and actions of the Protestant Reformation. It shows the reformers as giants of the faith, while not ignoring their human foibles and errors. Living in a culture that thinks Joel Osteen is profound, modern American believers would do well to read McGrath's book and begin to learn what real Christians taught and believed.

[Chuck Noren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alister McGrath wrote an excellent introduction to the Reformation. He provided very helpful insights into the dissatisfaction of the Roman Catholic Church, its impotence on settling doctrine prior to the Reformation, the rising level of education of the laity, scholasticism, humanism, and the development of these ideas into the different Reformation communities. The weakest part of the book was the impact of the Reformation in history into thw modern era last chapter. I will have to think about that. McGrath mainly emphasized the offshoots of economics, governments, and science. He could have gone into religious impact more. He did mention how Protestantism led to a more entrepreneurial spirit where people would form their own churches and through aform of Darwinism, adapt to changing environments and culture. But I think this misses some of the major theological implications that reverberate to this day, such as justification by faith alone. Granted, I am a theologically conservative Reformed layperson who drinks in theology, so McGrath didn't scratch my partucular theological itch at that point.

Overall an excellent book. It kept me riveted to the end. The reader/narrator did a very good job. I highly recommend this book as part of a variety of books dealing with Reformation topics.

[Chuck Noren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alister McGrath wrote an excellent introduction to the Reformation. He provided very helpful insights into the dissatisfaction of the Roman Catholic Church, its impotence on settling doctrine prior to the Reformation, the rising level of education of the laity, scholasticism, humanism, and the development of these ideas into the different Reformation communities. The weakest part of the book was the impact of the Reformation in history into thw modern era last chapter. I will have to think about that. McGrath mainly emphasized the offshoots of economics, governments, and science. He could have gone into religious impact more. He did mention how Protestantism led to a more entrepreneurial spirit where people would form their own churches and through aform of Darwinism, adapt to changing environments and culture. But I think this misses some of the major theological implications that reverberate to this day, such as justification by faith alone. Granted, I am a theologically conservative Reformed layperson who drinks in theology, so McGrath didn't scratch my partucular theological itch at that point.

Overall an excellent book. It kept me riveted to the end. The reader/narrator did a very good job. I highly recommend this book as part of a variety of books dealing with Reformation topics.

[Bette Stanek · Rating 4 out of 5]

McGrath writes an easily accessible text about the history, culture, and effects of the Reformation. This is a basic introductory book for those deeply ensconced in Reformation history. For those who know nothing, other than what was taught in middle/high school history classes, it will seem like more than an introduction. This book is well-written and readable. It presents the theology and doctrines of the three major players of the Reformation, Luther, Zwingli, and Calvin. There were a few times when I think he should have explained more in-depth; for a reader who doesn’t know much about the individual players in the Reformation, McGrath’s explanations could leave the reader with slight misinterpretations of the theologians’ stances. Overall, this is a good book for those wanting to understand the Reformation's impact on history, Western culture, and government.

[Zach Hedges · Rating 4 out of 5]

A leading scholar surveys the major doctrines of the Reformation, as discussed by each of its leading figures, on an introductory level. McGrath deals very thoroughly, but almost exclusively, with the first generation of reformers (Luther, Calvin, Zwingli), with little discussion of the contributions of their successors (Melanchthon, Beza, Bullinger). He also offers comparatively brief treatment of Anabaptist perspectives. However, the book takes extra care to assist the newcomer to Reformation studies by defining all technical terms and providing an abundance of tips for navigating the primary sources and secondary literature.

[Andrew Roycroft · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a competent primer on the key intellectual trends behind, embodied by, and flowing from the Reformation. In its remit as an undergrad textbook it is, of necessity, brief and topical, but it provides helpful insights into key areas of Reformation thought. At times one could wish for a little more nuance in the handling of aspects of Calvinism in particular, but this a minor flaw. A real highlight is McGrath's surefooted tracing of the influence of the Reformation's key ideas on later history.

[Jill Hudson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A real must-read for anyone studying or interested in the Reformation, whether or not you have any Christian background. This book is so clear: it explains the theological and sociological issues behind the Reformation so vividly that understanding dawns almost immediately! It's never heavy, dull or dry, and never gets bogged down in unnecessary detail or distracted by red herrings. It's a winner!

[Aliona Tkach · Rating 5 out of 5]

Якщо ви тільки починаєте вивчати період Реформації, то ця книжка саме для вас. Гарно поясненні передумови виникнення Реформації, богословські та соціальні виклики того часу. Добре показана різниця між німецькою, англійською та магістратською Реформацією. Зрозуміло описано як Реформація вплинула на економічний, політичний розвиток Європи. Тепер ясно, чому протестатнські країни були довгий час (та й зараз є) на кілька кроків попереду у своєму розвитку.

[Daniel Sell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have always enjoyed reading Alister McGrath, and this book does not disappoint. From the start, there has never been an entirely unified Protestant Church. However, as McGrath points out in this book, Protestants have always been more interested in continuity with historical apostolic teaching than with historical institutional continuity (Roman Catholicism). This book kept my interest from beginning to end. Highly recommend!

[Chaco · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent introduction to the ideas and persons who shaped the 16th-century Reformation. The reformers' views on subjects such as predestination and church authority are presented in a concise manner, with references to works dealing with those subjects in more detail. Written in McGrath's clear, clean prose. Educational, although I would have liked a bit more biographical information about the personalities themselves as well as bit more explication of the political and social context.

[Yaya · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent book for beginners in the topic of reformation. It is very well organized, intro different topics and subtopics that help the reader better understand the content. One need not to read the whole book to look for a certain episodes during the period of the Reformation.
It is very well documented and the style is very scientific. I highly recommend it!

[Richard Ripamonti · Rating 5 out of 5]

McGrath counters the Marxist influence on History which dictates that choices have been mostly influenced by material circumstances. Reformation Thought briefly outlines the ideas which had the power to turn religious society upside down, and does so with clarity and erudition.

[Dan Glover · Rating 4 out of 5]

4+ stars. Read this last year...it is an excellent guide that does an able job of getting the reader into the head-space of the people, the issues, the controversies, and the debates of the tumultuous times of the Reformation.

[Alex Nolette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfect book for a grounding in Reformation studies.

[Rebecca Pate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read selected pieces of this for my Reformation class.

[Canny Tay · Rating 5 out of 5]

A deep theological study about reformers' understanding of theology.

[Madeleine · Rating 5 out of 5]

McGrath's 'Reformation Thought' does a great job of talking about a range of complex and otherwise confusing theological issues with great clarity.

[Bill Bruno · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is a terrific thematic overview of the Reformation. It starts out with the development of Renaissance humanism that provided a philological basis for the Reformation (direct review of Scripture in the original languages) and the heritage of scholasticism that the reformers criticized.
There is a brief biographic section of the key players that follows. This is followed by reviews of the key themes such as; justification by faith, the role of the church, predestination and so on.
What impressed me most about this work was how well the different trends of reforming thought were delineated. For instance, Luther's emphasis of theology stemming from the fact that he taught theology and the deference of Lutheranism to the state from his need for political protection with the Holy Roman Empire is contrasted with the Reformed Church's (how the author refers to what is popularly, but apparently inaccurately, called Calvinism), emphasis on scripture as a moral guide and the elect as a community, from the role that Zwingli and Calvin played in influencing Geneva. The response of the Catholic church is well covered with emphasis, as it should be, on the positions of the Council of Trent. Also useful is the separate treatment of the English Reformation. The development being different because there was an act of state nationalizing the church first, and then a challenge to its ideology. There were some questions I still had, for example, what is the role of good works, or the importance of moral behavior, in a predestinarian theology, but that can be understood as this is an introductory work that can't cover every questions.
I have two quibbles. I would like to have seen more on the Radical Reformation. Its trends can be seen in groups like the Mennonites and the Amish and I would like to have known what other influences it had. The other is the proofreading. I wasn't checking for typos but I came across close to a dozen.

[Bill Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

(Note: I combined the paperback and audible versions in this review.)


I surveyed Reformation history under one of McGrath's doctoral students, so I was nominally familiar with his narrative construction and outline of this pivotal period of Western culture. Still, McGrath managed to cram so much excellent information in this relatively small volume, I felt like the read was worth a credit in a graduate seminar. Sympathetic to the Protestant cause, McGrath is ever the scholar, elucidating not only the development of Protestant convictions, but also historical causes--theological, personal and political--as far as they may be confidently distilled from the evidence. Where confidence is lacking, appropriate skepticism is acknowledged, arresting romantic legends that fact might liberate a more truthful account of sixteenth century "reformations."

Still, Reformation Thought does not obscure the massive ideas covered and recovered by Luther, Zwingli, Calvin, etc. The "solas" are not given short shrift. Justification by faith alone is clearly stated and explained, as are the Protestant doctrines of scripture, church, sacraments and predestination, even if the latter is insufficiently untangled. Helpfully, McGrath's introduction takes the reader past the sixteenth century to survey the historical trajectory of Reformation thought as it diffused in Europe and influenced the New World.

Tony Craine's narration was unforced, well-paced and clear, if lacking only in style. Personally, I would have preferred a British narrator, perhaps the author himself. Overall, Reformation Thought is a thorough and inviting work for both students of history and generally interested readers.

[Victoria · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fairly helpful overview of Reformation theologies -- Lutheran, Zwinglian, Calvinist, and to a certain extent Radical and Catholic. Very textbooky, clearly written for a completely secular and religiously ignorant audience (in a tone that is actually insulting to the areligious) and very biased toward the Protestant side of the Reformation. Contains no real argument, except that it sides in favour of Elizabeth Eisenstein on the role of print in the propagation of the Reformation and, in a particularly poorly written and poorly researched chapter, in favour of Max Weber on the role of Protestantism in the rise of modern capitalism.

Pro-tips for the future: Trecento, Quattrocento, Cinquecento, etc. often omit the accent (p. 39) because there is, in fact, no accent on the word cento at all. Also, it doesn't matter if the reformers at Trent misunderstood what Luther meant by justification (p. 129), because the Lutheran understanding of justification is still inconsistent with the decision reached at Trent. Moreover, Benjamin Franklin not only did not live in the seventeenth century, but he also was not a Calvinist (p. 269). And Max Weber was wrong.

[Dr. David Steele · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reformation Thought: An Introduction by Alistair McGrath explores the fascinating contours of the sixteenth century. The author helps readers understand the historical, cultural, and theological context of the events that led up the Protestant Reformation.

McGrath guides readers on a fascinating Reformation tour and overviews key areas such as justification by faith, predestination, Scripture, and the sacraments.
There is much to commend about this excellent work. Pastors, students, and theologians will greatly benefit from McGrath’s work.