Book Review 2 HIEU566

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HIEU 566

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Philosophy

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Feb 20, 2024

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The book Rebel in the Ranks by Brad S. Gregory is a book that reviews Martin Luther’s unintentional reformation that was sparked by his views on the Catholic Church and Christianity. Gregory begins his book by highlighting Luther’s own struggles with religion and how he decided to deal with them. This comes after of course, a lengthy introduction, that provides some insight on how the Reformation changed religion from something that was a part of every aspect of life, to something that was a more private and a separate part of life, based on a person’s desires. Gregory tags this separation as secularization, which he insists became a problem all in its own. 1 Adding further in his book, that secularization did not mean religion was taken away – or even that is disappeared. He explained that it simply meant religion became something that was separate from public life and more a part of a person’s preference. The result was that religion did not have the influence on politics, law, education, morality, and other parts of culture as it had been. 2 Gregory reminds his reader that Luther, and other reformers did not intend on such a large change in what religion meant in society, they simply felt the Church needed reform. In an effort to allow his reader to better understand the Reformation, Gregory began by describing life in Europe in 1517, pre-Reformation. He describes it as one that contained “widespread sinfulness”. 3 Although the book focuses on Luther’s stance on the Catholic churches need for reformation and the need for Christians to live their lives as God would want them, Gregory also includes others who began to voice their own concerns before Luther. Mentioning Thomas of Kempen’s 15 th century work, The Imitation of Christ, Thomas encouraged all to “desire to advance in virtue, love, discipline, dwell in repentance, exercise self- 1 Gregory, Brad S. Rebel in the Ranks . 2017. 9. 2 Ibid, 217. 3 Ibid, 31.
denial, and patiently bear all trials for the love of Christ”. 4 Others like St. Bernard of Clairvaux and St. Catherine of Siena also felt people needed to live better Christian lives, and made their thoughts known as early as the 12 th century. Gregory continues to paint a picture of life before Luther by covering others, such as Giles of Viterbo and Erasmus. Providing this insight into the European world as it was before Luther gives the reader a better understanding of what Luther faced, and what he changed. As Luther faced his internal struggles, he felt he needed to address certain practices of the Catholic church. Indulgences was a large issue for him, as he believed one could not “buy” his repentance. Luther also challenged the practice of baptism of infants, citing infants don’t have faith, therefore can’t be saved by baptism. Baptism ought only to be for adults, who have faith and choose to be saved by baptism. Sacraments was also a concern for Luther, as it was practiced. Gregory includes Desiderius Erasmus as a central reformer as well. Erasmus published Novum Instrumentum in 1516, which was the New Testament, written in both Greek text and his Latin translation. 5 Gregory explains Erasmus believed people needed to learn Gods word by reading it. Not only did he feel lay people would benefit, but church leadership as well. What resulted added to the reformation and divisions, as people learned to read and interpreted God’s word in their own way. It created more individual beliefs, desires, and practices. Gregory also includes Andreas Bodenstein von Karlstadt as a reformer that further passes on Luther’s teachings in regard to sacraments. He also challenged practices, which further emboldened Christians already influenced by Luther. 6 4 Gregory, Brad S., Rebel in the Ranks, 31. 5 Ibid, 24. 6 Ibid, 92.
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