The Reformation of the sixteenth century (discussed here and elsewhere on this blog) "is best conceived as a series of initially independent reforming movements with quite distinct agendas and understandings of the nature of theology and its role in the life of the church." It would result in a number of new denominations of Christianity, grouped together and called "Protestant" due to their origin (protesting what they held to be erroneous Catholic doctrines and practices). Alister McGrath masterfully captures the essence of Protestantism in Christianity's Dangerous Idea. Any quotes here are from the book.
Summary
The book is divided into three sections: Origination, Manifestation, and Transformation.
In Origination, he covers the origins of the Reformation before Martin Luther, Martin's work, concurrent efforts in Europe (like Zwingli & Calvin), and the emergence of and differences between the four main schools of thought (Lutheran, Reformed, Anabaptist, and Anglican). Initially focused in Germany, Switzerland, and England, "Protestantism spread, like Islam, through a complex amalgam of trading links, colonial activity, and intentional outreach." McGrath then discusses the shifting thoughts in subsequent centuries in Europe and America, analyzing the notable change from religion as state policy to private belief after years of conflict (like the Thirty Years' War) left people tired of fighting over beliefs. "Rigid theological orthodoxy had to give way . . . to a new concern for the devotional life and a deeper personal relationship with Jesus Christ." Some, understandably, started to prefer devotional fervor to intellectual rigor.
In Manifestation, he discusses some distinctive Protestant beliefs, worship structures, and how the movement shaped Western culture, art, and science. Why does this matter? "Christianity was not just about the individual's personal relationship with God; it had implications for an individual's existence in the community." "What the church believes it is determines what it does as it shapes it priorities and agendas." From the Protestant work ethic to its analytic/questioning mindset that translated well into the scientific realm, the movement had a profound impact on the world which continues to this day.
In Transformation, he looks at how American Protestantism has changed over the years, the global rise of Pentecostalism, and the new frontiers. "It is of the essence of Protestantism to reexamine and renew itself, responding to its environment, on the one hand, and its own reading of the Bible, on the other." And the result? "Even small changes in biblical interpretation can dramatically alter Christian life and actions." This is well illustrated in Pentecostalism's focus on the work of the Holy Spirit, and indicative of the Protestant movement as a whole, whose slogan semper reformandum ("always being reformed") has rung true for five hundred years and counting. It allows the Church to "deal with rapid social and cultural change."
A Dangerous Idea
At the crux of Protestantism is a dangerous idea: that all people had the right to read and interpret the Bible for themselves. Luther's principle of Sola Scriptura (Scripture alone) would turn society on its head and change the world. He and others argued that having a human authority over Scripture- in his time, the Pope- and discouraging laity access to the text was unacceptable. He would translate the Bible into the common tongue and give everyone the right to read for themselves the word of the Lord. Effectively, "Protestantism arose as a new way of reading the Bible." This had predictable results, both good and bad.
The good was a return to the Bible, enabling direct access for all believers to foster personal understanding and responsibility. And this access helped create an atmosphere of constant evaluation: "At its heart, Protestantism represents a constant return to the Bible to revalidate and where necessary restate its beliefs and values, refusing to allow any one generation or individual to determine what is definitive for Protestantism as a whole." As a result, "all interpretations of the Bible must be regarded as provisional, not final; part of the task of the Church is continually to reexamine previous ways of interpreting scripture to ensure that they have not lapsed into uncritical, unthinking, or simply wrong ways of interpreting this foundational text."
The fundamental difficulty was "the absence of any authoritative interpreter of scripture that could give rulings on contested matters of biblical interpretation." In other words, "if the Bible had ultimate authority, who had the right to interpret the Bible?" Protestantism is "characterized by a belief . . . that scripture is clear enough for ordinary Christians to understand and apply . . ." yet this theological approach would "lead to an uncontrollable diversity of outcomes." Why? "Since every Protestant has the right to interpret the Bible, a wide range of interpretations cannot be avoided. And since there is no centralized authority within Protestantism, this proliferation of options cannot be controlled. Who has the right to decide what is orthodox and what is heretical?"
This led to diversification; several schools of thought, "each claiming to be grounded in the Bible, and the Bible alone, yet recognizing quite different authority figures, interpretative methods, and contextual constraints in their interpretation and application of the text." Indeed, "the movement's shared commitment to the authority of the Bible does not lead to a common mind on how the Bible is to be interpreted." The hundreds of denominational variations available today prove the point. And unfortunately, the little things become big: what some consider "matters of indifference" are "treated as criteria of demarcation." In every age and culture, we tend to congregate with fully like-minded individuals; we humans are not nearly as open-minded as we claim.
So what are the issues in biblical interpretation? Why such disagreement? Some examples:
- The Relation Between the Old and New Testaments. How does Jesus and His work change what stays and what goes? Which of God's Old Testament commands are always true, and which were satisfied in Christ?
- Biblical Language: literal, metaphorical, poetic, or accommodated? The nature of a book is immensely important to understanding and interpreting the message. And does God accommodate ("adjust himself to the capacities of the human mind and heart") in certain places?
- New Testament commands: which are universal, and which specific to the original audience?
- Biblical values and ethics: which values are culturally contingent or universal? Are we to take them as they are presented, or discern the intent behind a given law/prohibition, as it may "reflect issues in the culture of the ancient world . . . that do not apply today"?
Does this mean the Bible is untrustworthy or unknowable? No; "It is perfectly possible for an inerrant text to be interpreted incorrectly. Asserting the infallibility of a text merely accentuates the importance of the interpreter of that text." Thus, the company we keep is immensely important. Today, the result is a consumerist mentality, with people often choosing a Church based on how it aligns with their personal beliefs on Scripture. All this, based on the idea that people should be able to read and interpret for themselves the word of the Lord. A dangerous and transformative idea, indeed.
Review
Thought-provoking (with profound statements applicable well beyond the subject material), clear, succinct, eloquent, insightful, scholarly yet accessible . . . McGrath does an amazing job. I appreciated his focus on Protestantism as a whole over the centuries, going well beyond standard Reformation treatments. I was impressed by his balanced approach- I couldn't figure out from the text which Christian tradition he preferred. His education (three doctorates: molecular biophysics, theology, and intellectual history) is excellent and shines through- he knows his stuff and how to communicate it- a rare combination. Though not the best starting point on Reformation history, this is a vital work to understanding the world in which we live. Highly, highly recommended.
Rating: A+
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