Protestants: The Faith That Made the Modern World

by Alec Ryrie Narrated by Tim Bruce

Overview

In this dazzling global history that charts five centuries of innovation and change, Alec Ryrie makes the case that Protestants made the modern world. Protestants introduces us to the men and women who defined and redefined this quarrelsome faith. Some turned to their newly accessible bibles to justify bold acts of political opposition, others to support a new understanding of who they were and what they could and should do. Above all, they were willing to fight for their beliefs. If you look at any of the great confrontations of the last five centuries, you will find Protestants defining the debate on both sides. Protestants have also fought among themselves. What unites them all is a passion for God and a vital belief in the principle of self-determination.



Protestants have set out for all four corners of the globe, embarking on courageous journeys into the unknown to set up new communities and experiment with new systems of government. They are resourceful innovators and are making new converts every day in China, Africa, and Latin America. Protestants created America and defined its special brand of entrepreneurial diligence. Whether you are yourself a Protestant, or even a Christian, you live in a world, and are guided by principles and ideas, shaped by Protestants.

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

★ 02/13/2017
This volume is an excellent addition to the publishing lists for the 500th anniversary of the beginning of the Lutheran reformation. Ryrie (Being Protestant in Reformation Britain), an expert on the Reformation and winner of the Society of Renaissance Studies’ 2014 book prize, aims for a biography of Protestantism itself, rather than any particular Protestant figure or sect. In pursuit of this, Ryrie divides his work into three sections: reformation, the historical roots and early years of Protestantism; transformation, the philosophical development and geographic spread of the Reformation; and globalization, the most recent stages in the development and international adoption of Protestantism. The sections and chapters are thematic rather than strictly chronological; one chapter, for example, follows the fortunes of Protestantism in Nazi Germany. The next chapter then goes backward, chronologically speaking, to move the story to 19th-century America, the rise of evangelical fundamentalism, and the civil rights movement. Ryrie is careful to anchor the reader throughout; even non-specialists will never get lost in the tangle. He also provides a glossary of “types of Protestant” for easy reference as well as an excellent set of endnotes. (Apr.)

From the Publisher

"In this compelling and sweeping book, Alec Ryrie charts the history of one of the greatest forces in the making of modernity: the rise of the Protestant faith and ethos. Without it, one is hard-pressed to envision the spread of capitalism or of democracy. Ryrie writes that his aim 'is to persuade you that we cannot understand the modern age without understanding the dynamic history of Protestant Christianity.' To which I reply: Mission accomplished." - Jon Meacham, author of American Lion and Thomas Jefferson

"A sweeping, wonderful book.... We no longer understand that the world wasn't always this way, that we didn't always have things like freedom of speech, freedom of religion, or the concept of limited government." - Eric Metaxas, author of Martin Luther, on The Eric Metaxas Show

"To cover the story of Protestantism in just 514 pages might seem a recklessly task. But Ryrie has succeeded magnificently. He writes with the affection of an insider and the judgment of a first-class historian, and is excellent at conveying the sheer excitement, passion and violence that have marked Protestantism's story." - The Sunday Times
 
"An astonishment of narrative sweep and close analysis, transforming a familiar subject into one not seen before, Protestants is a breathtakingly original charting of the God-driven current running below the surface of the West, and, now, the world. In its triumphs and tragedies, Alec Ryrie illuminates faith, yes; but the real revelation here is human life itself - its intelligence, open-endedness, hope." - James Carroll, author of Christ Actually and Constantine's Sword

"Comprehensive and highly readable... One of the world's leading authorities on the Protestant Reformation. . . He is a particularly graceful and humane writer — a very kind person, you feel — qualities that serve him well in a history this divisive and contentious." - Dallas Morning News

“Ryrie does more than simply repeat the landmarks of Protestant history; he probes the minds and spirits of Protestants themselves . . . A particular strength of his work is the attention he gives to the “ordinary” people who make up the Protestant movement—men and women who turn out to be rather extraordinary . . . Ryrie has given us an impressive biography of the overall Protestant movement. Above all, he has demonstrated how contemporary Western life was founded on Europe’s response to the Protestant faith, rendering it, in the words of his subtitle, “the faith that made the modern world.” – The Gospel Coalition

"A masterly history. . . Rare is the historian who is as instructive about Christianity in Asia as he is about churches in the West, yet Ryrie manages both." - The Wall Street Journal

“To his credit, Alec Ryrie has braved treachero's waters …..Protestants succeeds in fulfilling his ambition to show how understanding Protestantism is necessary to any explanation of the modern age…Ryrie’s skill at writing, seasoned with just enough wit, keeps the narrative moving… He has woven together an epic tale that not only reminds Protestants of their relations…but calls them back to a love divine, all loves excelling.” – Christianity Today
 
"Informative and stimulating... Ryrie is as eloquent as he is erudite." - Financial Times

“Ryrie's agile mind, pithy style and energetic narrative bring 500 years of Protestant history to life. Protestants is shrewd, incisive and proceeds at an astonishing pace. If you wish to buy one book to understand the impact Martin Luther has had on the modern world, this is it.”
–Bishop Graham Kings, Mission Theologian in the Anglican Communion
 
"What a treat this book is. Its scholarship showcases one of the leading historians of Protestantism writing today, but the delight of it is the crisp prose, cool wit, wise judgements and sheer scope from the gates of Wittenberg to the streets of Seoul.  Ryrie has a gift for showing how the history of religion is the history of people, in all their baffling, frightening or endearing variety."  - Diarmaid MacCulloch, author of Reformation and Christianity
 
"This is a book of breathtaking range and penetrating insight. It will shape our perception of the Reformation and its long shadow for years to come."  - Andrew Pettegree, author of Brand Luther

“A book about Protestants could so easily mirror crude stereotypes. Protestants are supposedly staid, prudish, law-abiding and dull. Ryrie instead explores their infinite varity – the weird, wicked and wonderful.” – Sunday Times, Book of the Year

“Theology is morality is politics is law – and whether or not it’s immediately obvious, the world is steeped in theology… Ryrie’s central contention is that the Reformation changed the ideological contours of Europe by toppling the traditional sources of authority – indeed, the stability of any world authority whatsoever. By doing so, it hastened or precipitated the rise of modernity.” – The Nation
 
"Protestants is spectacularly good. Ryrie writes with empathy but without illusions; his trademark combination of wit and erudition makes the journey as enjoyable as it is enlightening." - Prof. Peter Marshall, author of Heretics and Believers

"A learned, lively...look at the various faiths lumped together as Protestant, from Martin Luther in the 16th century to today...Rarely has an author of such deep faith offered such a tolerant, engaging history of any religion." - Kirkus Reviews (starred)

"This sweeping and thought-provoking book may prove a bible of the Protestant quincentenary.”
—Booklist (starred)

Library Journal

★ 03/01/2017
Ryrie (history of Christianity, Durham Univ.; Being Protestant in Reformation Britain) effectively surveys 500 years of church history while illuminating the breadth and impact of the protestant faith. The first section traces the impact of the Protestant Reformation of the 1600s on Europe and America. The author also focuses on the transformation of global Protestantism during the 19th and 20th century by highlighting areas such as the millenarian movements, liberalism, slavery, and how the two World Wars affected and were impacted by the protestant churches. Later chapters cover the global nature of Protestantism by examining racial struggles in South Africa, the movement's influence in South Korea and China, and the global Pentecostal experience. Some of the unique themes and sections within this book are those that explain the pietism movement in England, the rise of Adventist movements including the Jehovah's Witnesses and Christian Science, the struggle over the slave trade, the German Church in World War I and II, South African apartheid, and Korean Christianity. VERDICT This multifaceted work will appeal to readers of both history and theology. Recommended for all libraries. [See Prepub Alert, 10/17/16.]--Ray Arnett, Fremont Area Dist. Lib., MI

Kirkus Reviews

★ 2016-12-07
A learned, lively look at the various faiths lumped together as Protestant, from Martin Luther in the 16th century to today. Theologian and professor Ryrie (History of Christianity/Durham Univ.; Being Protestant in Reformation Britain, 2013, etc.) takes an inclusive view of the term Protestantism, encompassing mainstream Lutherans, Methodists, Presbyterians, Congregationalists, and Baptists as well as the less-pervasive Unitarians, Seventh-day Adventists, Quakers, Mennonites, Jehovah's Witnesses, and the burgeoning varieties of Pentecostal denominations whose members often speak in tongues. (The author classes Mormons as a new religion despite their Protestant roots.) Ryrie views the spectrum as an extended family tree with a common trunk but diverse branches. At bottom, though, a family that quarrels about right and wrong remains a family. The author credits Protestants with playing significant roles in the spread of free speech and the placement of conscience ahead of government dictates throughout Europe and across what eventually became the United States. In more recent times, Ryrie documents the influence of Protestants in portions of South America, China, South Korea, and South Africa. He does not shy away from the ugly roles of Protestants in the dominance of apartheid and slavery, but he explains how the better natures of Protestants opposing those inhumane practices mostly prevailed. Throughout the sweeping narrative, the author offers his well-considered opinions about how the Bible fits into the teachings of various Protestant denominations. He offers insightful explanations of why some Protestants consider the Bible inerrant, while other Protestants consider it filled with contradictory stories that nonetheless lead to a deep communion with God. In the final chapter, Ryrie deals candidly with contemporary political and social issues roiling Protestant denominations, including women in the ministry, homosexuality, whether to support the legalization of abortion, and how to combat secularism. Rarely has an author of such deep faith offered such a tolerant, engaging history of any religion.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940170128150
Publisher:	HighBridge Company
Publication date:	04/04/2017
Edition description:	Unabridged

Read an Excerpt

Chapter 1
(Continues…)

---

Excerpted from "Protestants"
by .
Copyright © 2017 Alec Ryrie.
Excerpted by permission of Penguin Publishing Group.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

---

Videos