Protestant reformers sought to effect a radical change in the way their contemporaries understood and coped with the suffering of body and soul that were so prominent in the early modern period. This book examines the genesis of Protestant doctrines of suffering among the leading reformers and then traces the transmission of these doctrines from the reformers to the common clergy. It also examines the reception of these ideas by lay people.

Protestant reformers sought to effect a radical change in the way their contemporaries understood and coped with the suffering of body and soul that were so prominent in the early modern period. The reformers did so because they believed that many traditional approaches to suffering were not sufficiently Christian--that is, they thought these approaches were unbiblical. The Reformation of Suffering examines the Protestant reformation of suffering and shows how it was a central part of the larger Protestant effort to reform church and society. Despite its importance, no other text has directly examined this reformation of suffering. This book investigates the history of Christian reflection on suffering and consolation in the Latin West and places the Protestant reformation campaign within this larger context, paying close attention to important continuities and discontinuities between Catholic and Protestant traditions. Focusing especially on Wittenberg Christianity, The Reformation of Suffering examines the genesis of Protestant doctrines of suffering among the leading reformers and then traces the transmission of these doctrines from the reformers to the common clergy. It also examines the reception of these ideas by lay people. The text underscores the importance of consolation in early modern Protestantism and seeks to challenge a scholarly trend that has emphasized the themes of discipline and control in Wittenberg Christianity. It shows how Protestant clergymen and burghers could be remarkably creative and resourceful as they sought to convey solace to one another in the midst of suffering and misfortune. The Protestant reformation of suffering had a profound impact on church and society in the early modern period and contributed significantly to the shape of the modern world.

This text examines the genesis of Protestant doctrines of suffering among the leading reformers and then traces the transmission of these doctrines from the reformers to the common clergy. It also examines the reception of these ideas by lay people.

This study argues that the most illuminating meditation on vulnerability, masculinity, and ethics in the wake of the Reformation came from Spenser, a poet often associated with the brutalities of English rule in Ireland. The underside, or shadow, of violence in both the fantasies and the realities of Spenser's England was a corresponding contemplation of the nature of the precarious lives of subjects in post-Reformation England.

The Protestant Reformers were transformed by their encounters with Scripture. Bringing together the reflections of church historians and theologians delivered at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, these essays consider historical, hermeneutical, theological, and practical issues regarding the Bible, revealing that the irrepressible Word of God continues to transform hearts and minds.

The Reformation changed everything—culture, commerce and learning. Here in these few pages we focus on its core, its defining of a new Protestant church. While Wittenberg in 1517 is often regarded as the start of the Reformation, the earliest-recorded heretik died in Scotland more than a hundred years earlier. Part l offers a fast-paced storyline of the whole period. This book does not celebrate a schism. It sets forth biblical truth, and the part each of us must play in passing that truth on to the next generation. If the church is to be effective, we must believe and confess the gospel, obey it and adorn it, proclaim it and argue it, defend it, and be willing to suffer for it. What of Christ’s prayer for Christians to be one? Would it be better to ignore, even forget the Reformation? If we look more closely at that prayer, we may be surprised by what we find. Includes:TimelineQuestions for ReflectionMartin Luther’s 95 Theses Michael Reeves, author and speaker, is Prof of Theology at Union School of Theology. He has served on staff with UCCF and All Souls, Langham Place, London. John Stott, Bible teacher, evangelist, and author of 50 books, was Rector Emeritus of All Souls, Langham Place, and founder of Langham Partnership International. Lindsay Brown trains university evangelists in Europe. He was General Secretary of the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students (IFES) until 2007.