Review: The essence of the Reformation

As someone on the naïve side when it comes to church history, I was one of the many Protestants today who Kirsten Birkett describes as knowing “very little about the earth-shattering events and debates of the Reformation”.¹ Before I picked up her book, The Essence of the Reformation, I had heard about Martin Luther and knew that he’d nailed something to a door for some reason. I knew that the church authorities of the day had violently opposed the translation of the Bible from Latin to English. But I was unaware of the Reformation context of these things or their significance.

If you’re like me and don’t really know how the Reformation fits together, or why it’s important to remember this period of history 500 years on, Dr Birkett’s The Essence of the Reformation is a must-read. It’s a concise and easy-to-follow overview of the Reformation and the important figures who set it in motion.

Birkett starts off by exploring the impact of the pagan religions of Medieval Europe on the understanding and practice of Christianity. This section helps to explain how certain Catholic traditions developed. Having examined these influences, she then outlines the key events of the Reformation, and describes how the response in particular countries contributed to the revolutionary changes in theological thought. In the final section of the book, she evaluates the significance of the Reformation and how it differed from earlier attempts to reform the Catholic Church from a foundational theological level.

Of course, Martin Luther is probably one of the most well-known names when it comes to the Reformation. But in Part II Birkett also draws attention to a number of other Reformers of equal significance. A name that was unfamiliar to me (and probably to quite a few people) was Zwingli. Zwingli was a Swiss priest and Reformer. Unlike Luther, who faced strong opposition early on, Zwingli was supported by many in Zurich who believed his Biblical doctrines were right and the Church was wrong. Zurich’s reform provided a lead for other Swiss cities to follow. 

Birkett’s history and investigation of the Reformation, the factors leading to it and the consequences for the world, is a timely reminder to modern Christians of how the truths we take for granted — salvation by grace alone through faith in Christ alone — and which many Reformers died for, still need to be fought for today. The Essence of the Reformation is not only a history, but a call to action — to be reminded by history to defend the truths of Christianity — and a warning to learn from our heritage.

We do not need to copy the Reformers out of love for history or tradition; yet we need to learn the lessons of the Reformation, and be reminded that the truth that inspired that generation to protest, and to reform, is still true today.²

1. K Birkett, The Essence of the Reformation, 3^rd ed., Matthias Media, Sydney, 2017, pp. 5.↩

2. pp. 99.↩