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A Book Review
Posted by Derrick
on
21:51
It is no secret that I am a big fan of books written by Nick Page. His book, The Longest Week about the final days of Jesus is moving and wonderful. His book The Wrong Messiah is similar and very eye opening. His books tracing the history of the church are brilliant. They're funny, erudite and well researched.
I have come recently to read his book "A Nearly Infallible History of the Reformation" carries on in this vein. It is well researched and it is very well written. For me, it is like visiting an old friend. I have studied the Reformation many times and the book doesn't really teach me anything new (well, it has an interesting take on the Anabaptists which is somewhat new for me) but it is still well worth a read.
You see, the Reformation is much misunderstood and some people are far too familiar with it. In the same was that he reintroduces Jesus' Jewishness in The Wrong Messiah (Jesus' brother was Jacob, not James for example), Page manages to reintroduce the readers to the radical nature of the Reformation. It is Luther but most definitely warts and all. It does not shy away from the deplorable aspects of much of Luther's work but neither does it throw him away as useless. He was a man with a man's foibles.
Likewise with Zwingli (and here I will pause and say that if you read the book, just before you get to the section on Zwingli you will be treated to possibly the greatest Christian pun of all time; seriously genius) he doesn't become a hero worshipping fanboy like many are with the Swiss Wunderkind of the Reformation. He is treated well and in an adult manner.
The book is full of Page's usual humour and good natured ribbing. He does a great job of re-visiting the Reformation and has made me glad that I have taken the time to read it just before the world suddenly remembers that something special happened to a door in Wittenburg 500 years ago (or did it? You will have to read the book to find out).
I have come recently to read his book "A Nearly Infallible History of the Reformation" carries on in this vein. It is well researched and it is very well written. For me, it is like visiting an old friend. I have studied the Reformation many times and the book doesn't really teach me anything new (well, it has an interesting take on the Anabaptists which is somewhat new for me) but it is still well worth a read.
You see, the Reformation is much misunderstood and some people are far too familiar with it. In the same was that he reintroduces Jesus' Jewishness in The Wrong Messiah (Jesus' brother was Jacob, not James for example), Page manages to reintroduce the readers to the radical nature of the Reformation. It is Luther but most definitely warts and all. It does not shy away from the deplorable aspects of much of Luther's work but neither does it throw him away as useless. He was a man with a man's foibles.
Likewise with Zwingli (and here I will pause and say that if you read the book, just before you get to the section on Zwingli you will be treated to possibly the greatest Christian pun of all time; seriously genius) he doesn't become a hero worshipping fanboy like many are with the Swiss Wunderkind of the Reformation. He is treated well and in an adult manner.
The book is full of Page's usual humour and good natured ribbing. He does a great job of re-visiting the Reformation and has made me glad that I have taken the time to read it just before the world suddenly remembers that something special happened to a door in Wittenburg 500 years ago (or did it? You will have to read the book to find out).
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