The Reformation In England

Testimonials

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1. 

   Robert Widdowson – December 22, 2015

   C.S. Lewis advised reading older books alongside newer ones. That’s especially true when reading history books. This old gem is worth studying. His prose is definitely from another era, but that’s part of the charm. However, it’s what he writes about the reform movement in England , the erudite content , that deserves our ear. When we consider the state of Great Britain today, it’s truly sad. It once held such great promise. Much of that promise (I would argue the lion’s share) was owing to the English Reformation. It tells the story of what our great God is able to accomplish through tiny means, in this case the British Isles.

2. 

   Richard Jones – March 22, 2016

   I have been reading “The reformation in England for the past month, I have finished volume one, I am a slow reader, but i read as much as my weary eyes would allow, I personally promote it as one of the best if not the best history told of the reformation. Much insight into the lives and character of men and women of times past. After I read volume two, I am sure to read it again, and give do respect to Mr J. H. Merle D’Aubigne and his wonderful contributions to our Christian history.

3. 

   Tim – September 14, 2017

   I just finished both volumes of this very good history of the Reformation in England. The author sure kept it interesting, even though his writing reflects an earlier era. I recommend it for anyone who would like to better understand the forces at work in this period English history, particularly during the reign of Henry VIII.
   One thing that impressed me about this time was the number of people who were put to the stake or beheaded for things that most of us take for granted, such as the question of the transubstantiation. For instance, there were those who were burned at the stake merely because they refused to confess that the real presence of Christ was not in the bread and the wine. There are differences of opinion today, but no one is put to death for holding on to one or the other.
   The author obviously favors the protestant reformers, and seems to be fair at points to those who remained Roman Catholic, but it would be interesting to read a a RC response to a number of the events recorded in the book.
   For anyone interested in the history of the Reformation in England this is an important resource.

4. 

   Carl E. Wolfe – November 28, 2017

   My wife have read both volumes-we can hardly put them down. Christian history is traced in minute, fascinating, detail-especially the years of Henry VIII. His contradictory influence on the British church explains why the Anglican church is now a mix of Roman Catholicism and the Protestant church.

5. 

   Adam Swift – March 26, 2019

   This book is a quick-paced, action-packed telling of the story of England’s Reformation. The stories of the English Reformers will inspire you and spur you on to radical obedience to Jesus Christ. If there is a weakness in this book it would be the repetition of content with some of the historical events, as well as overly simplistic explanations of some of the historical facts of the Reformation in England. All in all, it is worth the read and will keep you entertained.

6. 

   Vaughn D. Longanecker – October 9, 2020

   Unlike almost all “Christian History” text this is written from a truly Providential perspective, as all “Christian Histories” should be written, that is, from God’s perspective of what He is doing. The Reformation was not first a work of man, but most “Christian History” books do not give that perspective, Merle d’Aubigne does this masterfully, giving due credit to God. This history is truly God honoring; thank you Lord.

7. 

   djboone31 – January 22, 2021

   All history is important and this is no dull account! Perhaps I shouldn’t be this way, but politics bore me. Though there were a handful of chapters heavy laden with the matter, I found the bulk of these two volumes to be on the edge of your seat action. Whether you come across the more famous characters of the Reformation In England, like Wycliffe, Tyndale or Cranmerer or the more ordinary people who led quiet but no less courageous lives, J H Merle makes you feel the sweat beading down their faces and their hearts pounding in their chests as they are confronted with life threatening dangers seemingly lurking at every corner and the decisions they must make to fall back or move forward.

   These two volumes are filled with inspiring accounts of individuals now famous and many plain ordinary people who all chose to be mistreated with people of God, who were not worthy of this world, who God used for His glorious reformation of His Church. However it is not the individual accounts that impacted me most in these volumes, rather it was the overall horrific condition that the Church found themselves in, who drifted over the prior centuries and became almost completely out of touch with the Word of God and their tortuous travail and high price paid in blood to regain the glorious light of knowledge of understanding God’s Word.

   History is no mere condiment to be placed on top for a little extra flavor, it is a vital staple for the Church of Christ to understand. I don’t know much about the man or what he stood for but somewhere I came across a quote by Georg Hegel that I thought was quite fitting for today, he says, “We learn from history, that we do not learn from history.” How true! In order for us to learn we’ve got to read it. Don’t look at the two volumes and say, “I can’t read all of that, I’m a slow reader,” well so am I, and as it turns out, Thomas Cranmer was too! Yup, you will find that once you get to the bottom of page 436 in volume 1 (1985 Banner softcover edition). So what’s our excuse now? Grab these two volumes on The Reformation In England, as a matter of fact grab everything you can get that the Banner puts out, the Church of Christ will be the better for it.
   Onward Christian Soldier!