Shaping The Bible In The Reformation

This volume collects significant new scholarship on the late mediaeval and early modern Bible, engaging with the work of theologians, the devotional needs of the laity and the shape their concerns gave to the most important book of the age.

How many ministers have you met who are sowing reformation in their churches in tears? In our day, the current temperature of the Evangelical church has been watered down by shallow, non-doctrinal preaching that tickles the ears and woos people into the pews. Churches are filled with emotionally charged seeker sensitive services, catering to jingles and emotional feel-good “worship” that erradicates true worship and exalts feeling good over glorifying Christ. People attend churches based on criteria surrounding whether or not the foyer’s coffee shop serves hot lattes, how short the service is on Sunday so they can get home to mowing the lawn, or whether they can conveniently go to a thirty-minute Saturday night service and disregard the Lord’s Day all-together. Is this biblical reformation? Not at all. It’s quite the opposite. So, what are the marks of true biblical reformation? Do you know what they are? Are you set on fire through the unction and power of the Spirit of God and his word to reap something spiritually beneficial, heartily reformed yet laced with Christian joy? Are you on fire for Biblical Reformation before God for the glory of Jesus Christ? C. Matthew McMahon, Ph.D., Th.D., is a Reformed theologian, and pastor of Grace Chapel in Crossville, TN. He is the founder and chairman of A Puritan's Mind, the largest Reformed website on the internet for students of the Bible concerning Reformed Theology, the Puritans and Covenant Theology. He is the founder of Puritan Publications which publishes rare Reformed and Puritan works from the 17th century, specializing in the Westminster Assembly. He is also a managing partner at Reformed.org, and the Center for Reformed Theology and Apologetics.

This exploration of the biblical pattern and mandate for reformation challenges the church to be more confident in the application of principles that can change not only the church, but also the world.

It is equally true that the Reformation was inspired and defined by the Bible and that the Bible was reshaped by the intellectual, political, and cultural forces of the Reformation. In this book, a distinguished scholar--whose contributions to the field of religious studies have won him wide renown--explores this relationship, examining both the role of the Bible in the Reformation and the effect of the Reformation on the text of the Bible, Biblical studies, preaching and exegesis, and European culture in general. Jaroslav Pelikan begins by discussing the philological foundations of the "reformation" of the Biblical text, focusing on the revival of Greek and Hebrew language study and the important contributions to textual criticism by humanist scholars. He then examines the changing patterns of interpretation and communication of the Biblical text, the proliferation of vernacular versions of scripture and their impact on various national cultures, and the impact of the Reformation Bible on art, music, and literature of the period. The book is richly illustrated with examples of early printed editions of Bibles, commentaries, sermons, vernacular translations, and other works with Biblical themes, all of which are identified and discussed. The book serves as the catalog for a major exhibition of early Bibles and Reformation texts that has been organized at Bridwell Library, Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University, and will also be shown at the Yale Center for British Art, the Houghton Library and the Widener Library at Harvard University, and the Rare Book and Manuscript Library at Columbia University.

In what shape do we find the doctrine of sola Scriptura today? Many modern Evangelicals see it as a license to ignore history and the creeds in favor of a more splintered approach to the Christian living. In the past two decades, Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox apologists have strongly tried to undermine sola Scriptura as unbiblical, unhistorical, and impractical. But these groups rest their cases on a recent, false take on sola Scriptura. The ancient, medieval, and classical Protestant view of sola Scriptura actually has a quite different shape than most opponents and defenders maintain. Therein lies the goal of this book-an intriguing defense of the ancient (and classical Protestant) doctrine of sola Scriptura against the claims of Rome, the East, and modern Evangelicalism. "The issue of sola Scriptura is not an abstract problem relevant only to the sixteenth-century Reformation, but one that poses increasingly more serious consequences for contemporary Christianity. This work by Keith Mathison is the finest and most comprehensive treatment of the matter I've seen. I highly recommend it to all who embrace the authority of sacred Scripture." -R.C. Sproul, Ligonier Ministries

The Reformation changed everything—culture, commerce and learning. Here in these few pages we focus on its core, its defining of a new Protestant church. While Wittenberg in 1517 is often regarded as the start of the Reformation, the earliest-recorded heretik died in Scotland more than a hundred years earlier. Part l offers a fast-paced storyline of the whole period. This book does not celebrate a schism. It sets forth biblical truth, and the part each of us must play in passing that truth on to the next generation. If the church is to be effective, we must believe and confess the gospel, obey it and adorn it, proclaim it and argue it, defend it, and be willing to suffer for it. What of Christ’s prayer for Christians to be one? Would it be better to ignore, even forget the Reformation? If we look more closely at that prayer, we may be surprised by what we find. Includes: Timeline Questions for Reflection Martin Luther’s 95 Theses Michael Reeves, author and speaker, is Prof of Theology at Union School of Theology. He has served on staff with UCCF and All Souls, Langham Place, London. John Stott, Bible teacher, evangelist, and author of 50 books, was Rector Emeritus of All Souls, Langham Place, and founder of Langham Partnership International. Lindsay Brown trains university evangelists in Europe. He was General Secretary of the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students (IFES) until 2007.

In a church rocked by controversies over vernacular Scripture, iconoclasm, and the power of clergy, men and women arose in protest. Today we call this protest movement the Protestant Reformation. At its heart, the Reformation was a great revival of the church centered on the recovery of biblical truth and the gospel of free grace. This movement continues to instruct and inspire believers even into the present day. Reformation 500 celebrates the Reformation and probes the ways it has shaped our world for the better. With essays from an array of disciplines, this book explores the impact of the Reformation across a wide range of human experience. Literature, education, visual art, culture, politics, music, theology, church life, and Baptist history all provide prisms through which the Reformation legacy is viewed. From Augustine to Zwingli, historical figures like Luther, Calvin, Barth, Bonhoeffer, Rembrandt, Bach, Bunyan, and Wycliffe all find their way into this amazing 500-year story. From Anglicans to Baptists, scientists to poets, Reformation 500 weaves these many historical threads into a modern-day tapestry.

It has been five hundred years since Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door of the All Saints' Church in Wittenberg, Germany. Luther's theses called for the reform of the church and served as the catalyst for the Protestant Reformation. Its impact is still felt today. This Bible study examines the five core truths that came from the Reformation, now referred to as the solas. Group members will explore these essential convictions of the faith and emerge more immersed in the gospel of Jesus Christ. The solas include: Sola Scriptura (by Scripture alone) Sola gratia (by grace alone) Sola fide (through faith alone) Solus Christus (through Christ alone) Soli Deo gloria (glory to God alone) How is the Reformation still relevant today? As political pressure mounts, morality drifts with today's culture, and evangelicalism becomes more and more refined in a post-Christian world, it's even more important to hold the convictions of the great Reformation closer than ever. In short, the solas point us to vibrant Christian community as well as personal identity in Christ. As you'll see in this study, the solas are more than cold Latin terms that academics throw around in church-history books. The five solas, like the Reformation itself, are intensely practical. They were the DNA of the Reformation and are still the DNA of the church today. They are grounded in a real-life, everyday following of Jesus. They're the most important, basic scriptural truths you can ever believe. We stand on the shoulders of Christians in the past, and knowing where we came from will help us keep moving forward with passion and biblical clarity. Echoes of the Reformation Bible Study Book includes small-group experiences for six sessions, individual study opportunities, applicable Scripture, "How to Use This Study," and tips for leading a group. Features: - Biblically rooted and gospel-centered content - Six small-group sessions that include an introductory session and application of the five solas - Individual study opportunities for ongoing spiritual growth - Group and personal components Benefits: - Give group members a better understanding of the Reformation's impact on today's church. - Understand the weighty importance of the inspired Word of God. - Help group members discern the theological nuances of grace and its role in the life of a disciple. - Enhance a believer's understanding of the biblical and historical depth of the Christian faith. - Realize that Christ alone provides all life's answers. - Show group members how to live life for the glory of God and renew their commitment to this biblical mandate. Brandon D. Smith works with the Christian Standard Bible and teaches theology at various schools. He's also the author of Rooted: Theology for Growing Christians and They Spoke of Me: How Jesus Unlocks the Old Testament, and co-hosts the Word Matters podcast. He holds a BA in Biblical Studies from Dallas Baptist University, an MA in Systematic & Historical Theology from Criswell College, and is pursuing a PhD in Theology at Ridley College in Melbourne, Australia. He lives near Nashville, Tennessee with his wife, Christa, and their two daughters.