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.

Stephen J. Nichols was named the new President of Reformation Bible College and Chief Academic Officer of Ligonier Ministries in March, 2014. ReligionNews.com press release

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.

Stephen J. Nichols, For Us and for Our Salvation: The Doctrine of Christ in the Early Church (Wheaton, Illinois: Crossway Books, 2007), 172 pages, ISBN 1581348673.

Stephen Nichols has prepared an excellent primer for the study of the history of the early Christian Church. This book is appropriate for use in an undergraduate classroom or for self-guided study of early church history. However, Nichols has written much of this book in reference to the recent popular book and movie, the Da Vinci Code. While this is an appropriate topic for today, it is likely to loose relevance quickly as it fades from popular memory.

In this book, Nichols does not assume that the reader will recognize the theological words and terms. He paused often to insert either a parenthetical definition or a sidebar description of unfamiliar words. When it is appropriate, he has illustrated his point with a simple chart to help the reader sort through the good and the bad, the saint and the heretic. Additionally, Nichols has added a helpful glossary at the end of the book that will aid the reader to grasp key names, events, and ideas more fully. Further, Nichols has supplied the reader with two appendixes that will guide those who might desire to continue to study any of the varied topics.

Stephen J. Nichols was named the new President of Reformation Bible College and Chief Academic Officer of Ligonier Ministries in March, 2014. ReligionNews.com press release

Not only has Nichols divided the study of early church history into easy-to-grasp segments, he has also provided minimal commentary; commenting just enough to help the reader focus on the big picture. Moreover, instead of giving his own interpretation, Nichols introduces readers to the writings of those central to early church history, letting them speak for themselves by first citing a contemporary source and then including their own words.

Nichols’ book is a succinct introduction to the earliest attempts to understand the mystery of the divinity and humanity of Jesus Christ. Nichols has uncluttered the landscape for his student; he has provided help for his students to sort through the most important events and ideas. He will help to bring understanding to the early theological ideas, and thereby he will prepare the student to have a more complete understanding of the theological ideas of today.

Reviewed by John R. Miller

Preview the book here: http://books.google.com/books?id=cmCPb3IQkzUC

Publisher’s page: http://www.crossway.org/books/for-us-and-for-our-salvation-tpb/