thoughts and ruminations while in exile (1 Pet. 2:11)

Well, I finally finished reading this amazing book, and I wanted to offer some comments so that I might encourage others to read it. In case the title of the book is a bit obscure, note that the subtitle is The Protestant Revolution—A History From the Sixteenth Century To The Twenty-First.

In the book McGrath gives a brief, yet thorough overview of the Protestant Reformation. He focuses on the German Reformation, Swiss Reformation, and English Reformation. From there he traces the expansion of the Reformation to the United States and to other parts of the world like Africa, Asia, Korea, and Latin America.

He also touches on the complexities of the Reformation and the difficulties inherent in Protestantism as a whole. Specifically, he highlights the differences of interpretations within each tradition linked to Protestantism. He makes a key point that many within the church have yet to take seriously. This is the fact that despite the multiplicity of interpretations given by any number of denominations, no matter how much debate goes on, there will never be a universal Protestant consensus on what the Bible teaches. This is, and will continue to be the case since within Protestantism, there is no arbitrator. In fact, such an idea is anathema within Protestantism. This is not to suggest that a final answer does not exist. I am not advocating relativism. I am simply saying that within Protestantism there is no pope. Thus, while all Protestantism believes the Bible is the Word of God, they do not all agree on what the Bible teaches. Ironically (I say this laughing), Christians are united around the Bible until they interpret it and define their terms. While I am sad that this is the case, Protestants must come to terms with this reality. For this reason, many Protestants have (and I think they will continue) have decided to either become Roman Catholic or Orthodox. Many seek refuge in these traditions because they find them to offer some help in these areas by deciding for them what they should believe by having recourse to tradition (though Orthodoxy and Catholicism define "tradition" differently). Nonetheless, I bring attention to this so that Protestants can begin to dialogue on this issue.

Another interesting point in the book is McGrath’s critique of Pentecostalism. Since he is covering historical developments, once he arrives at the twentieth century, he must cover this significant movement. Overall, McGrath is very generous in his assessment of Pentecostalism. He notes the key characteristics within the movement and contrasts them with classical Protestantism. I would say one of his most poignant observations is the following: he notes that whereas in the sixteenth century the cry was “The priesthood of all believers,” within Pentecostalism it is “The prophethood of all believers.”

McGrath does not mean this in a pejorative sense; he is simply stating the facts. I found this book to be a thrilling read. I was glued to all 478 pages.

It is safe to say that I find this book to be one of the most important books I have read thus far in my life. If you have any more questions about the book, shoot me an email. I highly recommend this book . . . read it if you get a chance.