Christ's Churches Purely Reformed: A Social History of Calvinism

A synthetic history of Calvinism. It tells the story of the Reformed tradition from its birth in the cities of Switzerland to the unravelling of orthodoxy amid the new intellectual currents of the 17th century. As befits a pan-European movement, Philip Benedict's canvas stretches from the British Isles to Eastern Europe. The course and causes of Calvinism's remarkable expansion, the inner workings of the diverse national churches, and the theological debates that shaped Reformed doctrine all receive attention. The English Reformation is situated within the history of continental Protestantism in a way that is designed to reveal the international significance of English developments. An examination of Calvinist worship, piety and discipline permits an assessment of the classic theories linking Calvinism to capitalism and democracy. Benedict aims to paint a vivid picture of the greatest early spokesmen of the cause, Huldrych Zwingli and John Calvin, and to restore many lesser-known figures to their rightful place. His work offers a model of how to think about the history and significance of religious change across the long Reformation era.