Review: Let Truth Prevail: An Introduction to European Christian Renewal Movements
Let Truth Prevail: An Introduction to European Christian Renewal Movements by Allen Diles
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
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This book is, for all intents and purposes, an academic text exploring the beginnings of the restoration/reformation movements in Europe. There is an indirect tie-in to the Stone-Campbell movement in the United States of which I am a product of; so I found this history an extremely interesting review of how the various schismatic communities developed the various beliefs that they came to hold. Each chapter introduces a movement and some of the founders and/or main players in the movement evolution. This usually includes a compare and contrast against the predominant Catholic view as well as other Protestant churches … and it is remarkable how they were nearly all in alignment except for a few specific disagreements and it was the subsequent persecution that forced some of the major changes/conflicts. The author then sums up the chapter in a Legacy section that talks about where they went from there and closes with “Questions for Thought or Discussion” and a ton of reference notes. While some of the list of names and dates typical of a history text can be tough slogging, the terms and language used were clear and easily accessible/understood.
Introduction: The Concept of Restoration
Chapter 1: Setting the Stage: The Medieval Church and the Need for Reformation “in Head and in Members”
Chapter 2: “To Obey God Rather than Men”: The Waldensians
Chapter 3: “Truth Prevails over All”: The Czech Reformation Part 1
Chapter 4: “Jesus Christ, the Best Lawgiver”: The Czech Reformation Part 2
Chapter 5: “Faith, Love, and Hope”: The Unity of the Brethren (Unitas Fratrum)
Chapter 6: “For the Greater Glory of God”: The Protestant and Catholic Reformations of the Sixteenth Century
Chapter 7: “Given, Surrendered, and Sacrificed Wholly to God”: Evangelical Anabaptists Part 1
Chapter 8: “Overthrowing Religion and Civil Order”: Evangelical Anabaptists Part 2
Chapter 9: “A Personal Religion of the Heart”: Pietism, Schwarzenau Brethren, and the Moravian Brethren
Chapter 10: “No Such Thing as a National Church”: Scottish Restorationists
Afterword: “Yet More Truth to Break Forth from His Holy Word”
I was given this free advance reader copy (ARC) ebook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
#LetTruthPrevail #NetGalley.
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