Rebel in the Ranks

Martin Luther, the Reformation, and the Conflicts That Continue to Shape Our World

By: Brad S. Gregory

Narrated by: Sean Runnette

On the 500th anniversary of the Reformation comes this compelling, illuminating, and expansive religious history that examines the complicated and unintended legacies of Martin Luther and the epochal movement that continues to shape the world today.

For five centuries, Martin Luther has been lionized as an outspoken and fearless icon of change who ended the Middle Ages and heralded the beginning of the modern world. In Rebel in the Ranks, Brad Gregory, renowned professor of European history at Notre Dame, recasts this long-accepted portrait. Luther did not intend to start a revolution that would divide the Catholic Church and forever change Western civilization. Yet his actions would profoundly shape our world in ways he could never have imagined.

Gregory analyzes Luther’s inadvertent role in starting the Reformation and the epochal changes that followed. He reveals how Luther’s insistence on the Bible as the sole authority for Christian truth led to conflicting interpretations of its meaning—and to the rise of competing churches, political conflicts, and social upheavals. Ultimately, he contends, some of the major historical and cultural developments that arose in its wake—including the Enlightenment, individual self-determination and moral relativism, and a religious freedom that protects one’s right to worship or even to reject religion—would have appalled Luther: a reluctant revolutionary, a rebel in the ranks, whose goal was to make society more Christian, yet instead set the world on fire.

Excellent Biographical Presentation

I really appreciate Brad Gregory for taking the time to write this book on Martin Luther! He also includes a significant amount of information on other protestant reformation luminaries. Most of all though, I appreciate Brad's overarching perspective of the deleterious effects which were precipitated by the persons and events of the reformation. Additionally, he underscores the reality that we are suffering (even at this current time) from the negative impact of those fateful choices made 500 years ago.

I must add that Sean Runnette did a superb job reading the text of this audiobook!

Two books in one

The book is really two books in one. The first is a history of the reformation and subsequent wars and political turmoil. The last few chapters are where the author leaves behind research and espouses his personal opninions on the present. I greatly enjoyed the first 3/4 of the book and recommend it. The last part I did not enjoy. I didn't even disagree with most of his commentary, I just don't like the ttansition from researched history to personal opinion.

The performance was very good, though.

Damning but formative

This book should be earth shaking. The last section on Secularization should stir us to think more how to take our faith to all parts of our social, political and economic spheres. This, along with other books on the foundations in Secular theory, should and hopefully will be material for a prophetic movement that critiques the modern captivity of the Church and brings forth a new model of faith in the three veins of Christianity that is thoroughly political, social and economic without giving way to the divisiveness and war mongering power struggles of the previous era in the Reformation.

Interesting and informative

Having grown up in a Catholic environment, I found discussion of the Reformation particularly interesting. Narration was a bit flat, therefore somewhat disappointing. The author brings together the significance of the Reformation in the fourth and final chapter (chapters 9 and 10 in the audiobook version), which, to me, added meaningful context.

Outstanding Read!

outstanding. simple, yet erudite discussion of the all-pervasive influence of Luther and the Reformation thru six centuries of Western experience.