“The sketches in this book strive to show that the Reformation remains vitally important for Christians today,” writes W. Robert Godfrey. “Reformers and preachers of the sixteenth century were the best educated, most godly, and most faithful group of leaders the church has ever seen. In a remarkable way they combined commitment, learning, and orthodoxy. We need to continue to learn from them.”

In Reformation Sketches, Martin Luther and John Calvin receive most of Godfrey’s attention, but he also treats Philip Melanchthon, Peter Martyr Vermigli, the Heidelberg Catechism, and the Canons of Dort.

About the Author

W. Robert Godfrey (PhD, Stanford University) is a professor of church history and president of Westminster Seminary California, and is a minister of the United Reformed Churches. He is author of Reformation Sketches: Insights into Luther, Calvin, and the Confessions and God’s Pattern for Creation: A Covenantal Reading of Genesis 1, as well as co-editor of Theonomy: A Reformed Critique, and contributor to John Calvin: His Influence in the Western World. Godfrey has also written numerous articles and has been a speaker at many conferences, including the Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization, the Philadelphia Conference on Reformed Theology, and Ligonier Ministries.

Endorsements

“A wonderfully written history of the Great Reformation. With the care of a scholar and the insights of professional maturity, Godfrey takes us on a journey into our heritage.”

—John D. Hannah

“Godfrey is a wise and engaging historian of the Reformation. His sketches provide a compelling introduction to the Reformers, showing the relevance of their lives and thought for Christians today.”

—Philip Graham Ryken

“Edifying history at its best—a thorough grasp of cultural and political circumstances influencing the church, a keen understanding of the doctrinal issues at stake, and a deep concern for the ongoing reformation of the contemporary church.”

—Darryl G. Hart