The Oxford Illustrated History of the Reformation

Some of the most important scholars of the Reformation period are represented here, including Marshall himself. The essays are varied treatments by the foremost minds in the field. In writing about the Reformation in graduate school, I found this text was my essential library and the starting point for most everything else. It has a broad scope, encompassing theological, cultural and political aspects of the upheaval called "Reformation."

Very thorough work.

Excellent overview. Solid source of info and well presented and bound. A Must-have book on these important events, which shaped our current social reality.

A good and detailed read - thanks

Excellent

Beautifully illustrated and highly readable account of the upheaval in Christian thought that was the Reformation. The period is still extremely relevant as its effects are still being felt today. Anyone interested in finding out more about this fascinating event in Christian History will be well served by this excellent presentation. It is worth getting for the illustrations alone. While some are in colour, most are in black and white by contemporary artists. The range of maps included are clear and first class and greatly aid understanding. First class buy!

This book is actually a collection of 7 separate essays, each by an eminent historian (a mixture of UK and US academics). These start with giving some background on the state of medieval Christianity, upon which the reformation was built. Then we look at the main threads (Lutherism, Calvinism and the more radical reformers such as Anabaptists), as well as the reformation which followed in the Roman Catholic church once it got over the reactionary counter-reformation efforts. The last two essays look at reformation specifically in Britain, and then a wider-ranging consideration of the after-effects of reformation.These essays, whilst by no means hard to read, are definitely targeted at a more academic audience. Lots of references and footnotes, etc. These are not the starting point for someone wanting a primer in the reformation, but may be of interest to those looking to move beyond the more basic summary histories.One slight annoyance is that the Amazon preview is completely misleading regarding the illustrations. Apart from the cover, and one single set of inserts (all of which are shown in the preview), all the illustrations are in black and white. I was expecting a lot more colour than I got! Having said that, many of the illustrations are interesting, and work to break up the text nicely.The book is relatively slim, being printed on fine quality, slightly glossy paper. The division into 7 separate essays means that you can dip into parts of it without needing to read from beginning to end in order.As with all books, the appeal of this one depends on how well it is matched to its reader. If you are ready to take your understanding of the reformation beyond a basic level, then this book could be for you.