Though far from a complete history and not a source of new material, the book achieves Harline’s stated goal of producing an...
Looking back on the birth of the Protestant Reformation.
Harline (History/Brigham Young Univ.; Way Below the Angels: The Pretty Clearly Troubled but Not Even Close to Tragic Confessions of a Real Live Mormon Missionary, 2014, etc.) acknowledges that biographies of Martin Luther, especially in this, the 500th anniversary year of the Reformation, are quite commonplace. His own work, therefore, is written to introduce lay readers to the tumultuous events from 1517 to 1522, which shaped the Western world and Christianity from then on. This short period saw Luther transformed from an unknown monk into the most famous thinker in Europe, as well as the power of the Roman Catholic Church and its unquestioned papacy begin to slip away from parts of northern Europe. Harline tells this tale in a folksy style meant to draw readers into the world of 16th-century Europe, focusing less on stodgy facts and more on personal details. He begins with Luther’s move to the now-famed town and university of Wittenberg, where, under the influence of his mentor, Johann von Staupitz, Luther would come to a new view of salvation that countered much of what was taught by the church. It was his decision to take on the abuses of papal indulgences, however, that caused him to become a figure of both exaltation and contempt. In trying to purify the church’s practices, he ran headlong into the power of the pope. Nevertheless, regional politics, and a popular feeling among Germans that they were tired of Italian control, provided avenues for Luther to keep speaking and writing, whereas in previous generations, he may have been burned for heresy. Harline takes readers up to Luther’s return to Wittenberg after a period of hiding in Wartburg Castle.
Though far from a complete history and not a source of new material, the book achieves Harline’s stated goal of producing an approachable, worthwhile introduction to the beginnings of the Reformation.Pub Date: Oct. 2, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-19-027518-1
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Oxford Univ.
Review Posted Online: Aug. 21, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2017
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
This a book of earlier, philosophical essays concerned with the essential "absurdity" of life and the concept that- to overcome the strong tendency to suicide in every thoughtful man-one must accept life on its own terms with its values of revolt, liberty and passion. A dreary thesis- derived from and distorting the beliefs of the founders of existentialism, Jaspers, Heldegger and Kierkegaard, etc., the point of view seems peculiarly outmoded. It is based on the experience of war and the resistance, liberally laced with Andre Gide's excessive intellectualism. The younger existentialists such as Sartre and Camus, with their gift for the terse novel or intense drama, seem to have omitted from their philosophy all the deep religiosity which permeates the work of the great existentialist thinkers. This contributes to a basic lack of vitality in themselves, in these essays, and ten years after the war Camus seems unaware that the life force has healed old wounds... Largely for avant garde aesthetes and his special coterie.
Pub Date: Sept. 26, 1955
ISBN: 0679733736
Page Count: 228
Publisher: Knopf
Review Posted Online: Sept. 19, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 1955
Worthwhile reference stuffed with facts and illustrations.
A compendium of charts, time lines, lists and illustrations to accompany study of the Bible.
This visually appealing resource provides a wide array of illustrative and textually concise references, beginning with three sets of charts covering the Bible as a whole, the Old Testament and the New Testament. These charts cover such topics as biblical weights and measures, feasts and holidays and the 12 disciples. Most of the charts use a variety of illustrative techniques to convey lessons and provide visual interest. A worthwhile example is “How We Got the Bible,” which provides a time line of translation history, comparisons of canons among faiths and portraits of important figures in biblical translation, such as Jerome and John Wycliffe. The book then presents a section of maps, followed by diagrams to conceptualize such structures as Noah’s Ark and Solomon’s Temple. Finally, a section on Christianity, cults and other religions describes key aspects of history and doctrine for certain Christian sects and other faith traditions. Overall, the authors take a traditionalist, conservative approach. For instance, they list Moses as the author of the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Hebrew Bible) without making mention of claims to the contrary. When comparing various Christian sects and world religions, the emphasis is on doctrine and orthodox theology. Some chapters, however, may not completely align with the needs of Catholic and Orthodox churches. But the authors’ leanings are muted enough and do not detract from the work’s usefulness. As a resource, it’s well organized, inviting and visually stimulating. Even the most seasoned reader will learn something while browsing.
Worthwhile reference stuffed with facts and illustrations.Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2005
ISBN: 978-1-5963-6022-8
Page Count: -
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 23, 2010
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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