Stephen Nichols: The Reformation

 

Stephen J. Nichols, The Reformation: How a Monk and a Mallet Changed the World (Wheaton: Crossway Books, 2007), 159 pages, ISBN 9781581348293.

Stephen J. Nichols has written a book on church history that is interesting, informative, and entertaining. The book is titled, The Reformation: How a Monk and a Mallet Changed the World. According to Nichols, the book is developed on two ideas: “First, the Reformation matters. Second, history can be fun” (13).

Using Martin Luther as his starting point, Nichols describes how the Protestant Reformation began, and its impact on future generations. He writes that when Luther took a mallet on Oct. 31, 1517, and nailed his Ninety-Five Theses on the church door in Wittenberg, he started a movement that would spread across the world. He writes: “Luther’s act gave birth to the Protestant church, now nearly 600 million members strong. Luther’s act also brought the world out of medieval times and into the modern age” (11). Nichols argues that what Luther and the other Reformers did in terms of ministry and church doctrine provide lessons for the contemporary church.

Nichols holds a Ph.D. from Westminster Theological Seminary. A professor at Lancaster Bible College and Graduate School, he has written a number of books, including Heaven on Earth, and The Pages of Church History. He is also the author of An Absolute Sort of Certainty: The Holy Spirit and the Apologetics of Jonathan Edwards.

In The Reformation, Nichols presents his work in eight chapters. In his first chapter, he explains why the Reformation matters today. This chapter is followed by a look at Martin Luther and the German Reformation. The next chapter focuses on Ulrich Zwingli and the Swiss Reformation. The chapters that follow feature the Anabaptists, John Calvin and the Swiss Reformation, the Anglicans and the British Reformation, the Puritans and the British Reformation, and women and the Reformation.

In the Appendix, Nichols includes a collection of original writings under the heading, “In Their Own Words: Selections from Documents of the Reformation.” Here, he includes important texts of the Reformation such as Luther’s Ninety-Five Theses, and the works of John Calvin. This section also contains the confessions of the Reformation, the catechisms of the Reformation, and the prayers of the Reformation.

The final section of the book includes a “Reformation Scorecard.” It is a chart that presents an overview of the entire book. Among other things, the chart features the respective regions of the Reformation, the key players in each area, as well as the significant events and writings that occurred. A mere glance at this chart allows readers to get a quick overview of what happened during the Reformation.

The Reformers were known for their stand on the Word of God as the final authority, and the doctrine of justification by faith alone in Christ alone. In showing why the Reformation matters today, Nichols reminds readers of the Bible five important doctrines that became the foundation of the Reformation. In his first chapter, he discusses:

(1) “Sola Scriptura,” which means, “Scripture alone.” This is the view that Scripture is the final and sole authority for the church.

(4) “Solus Christus,” which means, “Christ alone.” This is the view that Christ is the only way to the Father, and the only mediator between God and humanity.

(5) “Soli Deo Gloria,” which means, “the glory of God alone.” This position holds that everything, including people’s secular vocations, must be done to the glory of God.

According to Nichols: “These doctrines form the bedrock of all that we believe, and the Reformers gave these doctrines their finest expression” (18).

In various places, he notes some of the contributions of the Reformation that people may take for granted. For instance, he writes: “The Reformers returned the sermon to the church service. In the case of the Puritans in England, they returned it with a vengeance” (18). He also notes: “Congregations didn’t sing in the centuries leading up to the Reformation. In fact, Jan Hus, one of the pre-Reformation reformers, was condemned as a heretic for, among other things, having his congregation sing. Luther and other Reformers restored congregational singing to the church” (18-19).

Nichols’ section on women in the Reformation is a gem. He shows that while scholars are divided on what the Reformation brought to women, there were a number of women who managed to shine during this period. Some of the women he mentions include Katherine Zell, and Marie Dentiere, both of whom were noted preachers and authors.

Nichols writes: “Steven Ozment has led the way for the view that the elevation of women and marriage and families is nearly the singular achievement of the Reformation’s impact on culture” (127).

Throughout this book, Nichols manages to deliver scholarly information in a way that is delightful and easy to grasp. He effectively takes issues from several hundreds years ago and shows how they are relevant today. By doing this, he provides a book that is not only historical, but practical in that it offers insight that readers can readily apply to their Christian walk.

Nichols challenges the reader to remember the past and to learn from the achievements, as well as the mistakes, that were made by the leaders of the Reformation.

Nichols’ book has an entertaining quality that will be appreciated by the average reader or student of church history. Its format, which includes numerous illustrations and break-out notes that are highlighted in tinted boxes, makes it an effective tool for teaching. Unlike many books on history that people might find boring, The Reformation is actually engaging and fun to read. It might even be called a page-turner because of the vibrant writing style, and the compelling stories that are presented.

Reviewed by Roscoe Barnes III

Preview this book: books.google.com/books?id=F7iqzuXhx_EC