The Christian Tradition: A History of the Development of Doctrine, Vol. 4: Reformation of Church and Dogma (1300-1700)

Jaroslav Pelikan, whose works always are very thorough and show a genuinely diverse collection of thought, has produced an outstanding volume which guides the reader through the often dark and stormy seas of Reformation theology. Part of the brilliance of the presentation is that it is not a strictly chronological, historical account. The thought of various Reformation era theologians are systematically set forth according to the doctrines they explored. As a result, one can see a total picture of the theological issues at stake, and why various theologians found a particular matter of crucial importance.Pelikan wisely begins with the fourteenth century developments, which seldom are treated in the context of the later Reformation but were highly influential. One example, that makes later developments quite clear, is how theologians debated many doctrinal points during the very century when one would think all that prevailed was Thomism. It also is intriguing, reading through the various chapters, how Augustinian ideas (including those mis-read) were key to both Protestant and Catholic points of view by the sixteenth century.The only drawback to using this volume is that, though the research and collection of quotes from varied sources is impeccable, one must constantly check the margins, where the names of authors and documents are abbreviated, to know "who wrote what."Pelikan's work is unique for its truly systematic presentation of all viewpoints in Reformation thought, integrated with an introduction to the earlier theology which would be influential, and the "re-affirmation" Catholic efforts of Trent. The result is a smooth, comprehensive, understandable, and enlightening whole.

The book arrived just as described, This book is part of a series that is very interesting and informative on many levels, the series has 5 vols. each describes a specific frame of time in the development of church doctrine. From each vol. I have been introduced to characters who played a vital role in this process yet, I never heard of most of them, which led to more research and enlightenment. For me Jaroslav Pelikan, the author, has been one of the best finds in a long time. His style of writing is informative, authoritative, but not out of reach for the normal person.

There's just no work out there as good and as thorough as Pelikan. It can be a dense read but it's quality.

Great history of the church

If you are interested in the way church doctrine developed as I was, buy this series. It seems like a lot of material, but Pelikan is actually brief while thorough. Church history is no simple study. They are a good buy!

Again I marvel at how Jaroslav Pelikan remains so impartial giving out all the information on developments, and allowing the reader to make their own decisions on the data. I would recommend this to any student or person trying to get a not biased approach to Christian Religion during this time peroid.

if you are interested in the formation of the Christian doctrine this will be very helpful

I used this book as a text book for a Masters Level Seminary Class. Pelikan does a nice job of highlighting main issues in the History of Christian Doctrine and placing them within less than 400 pages. This book is for advanced theological reading.