The Reformation was a time of tremendous upheaval, renewal, and vitality in the life of the church. The challenge to maintain and develop faithful Christian belief and practice in the midst of great disruption was reflected in the theology of thesixteenth century.In this volume, which serves as a companion to IVP Academic's Reformation Commentary on Scripture, theologian and church historian Gerald L. Bray immerses readers in the world of Reformation theology. He introduces the range of theological debates as Catholics and Protestants from a diversity of traditions—Lutheran, Reformed, Anglican, and Anabaptist—disputed the essentials of the faith, from the authority of Scripture and the nature of salvation to the definition of the church, the efficacy of the sacraments, and the place of good works in the Christian life.Readers will find that understanding how the Reformers engaged in the theological discipline can aid us in doing theology today.



Gerald L. Bray (PhD, La Sorbonne) is a professor at Beeson Divinity School of Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama, and director of research for the Latimer Trust. He has written and edited a number of books on different theological subjects,including Galatians, Ephesians in the Reformation Commentary on Scripture series, Biblical Interpretation: Past and Present, The Doctrine of God, and Romans in the Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture series. A priestof the Church of England, Bray has also edited the post-Reformation Anglican canons.



Preface

1. The Education of a Reformer

2. The Sources of Theological Authority

3. The Interpretation of the Bible

4. The Work of the Holy Spirit

5. The Godly Commonwealth

6. The Emergence of Confessional Theology

Conclusion

Works Cited

General Index

Scripture Index