Characters of the Reformation: Historical Portraits of the 23 Men and Women and Their Place in the Great Religious Revolution of the 16th Century [Paperback]

Hilaire Belloc (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2009

Perhaps the most fascinating book ever written by this great Catholic historian. Here in bold, living colors Belloc sketches the destructive results of the greed, lust, weakness, tenacity, blindness, fear and indecision of 23 famous men and women of the Protestant Reformation period, analyzing their strengths, mistakes, motives and deeds which changed the course of history. Belloc cites Anne Boleyn, not the weak-willed Henry VIII as the "pivot figure" of the English Reformation, for it was her iron will to be Queen which started the movement. He describes Cromwell, the monastery looter and destroyer, as "the true creator of the English Reformation." He shows how the crafty William Cecil accomplished the task of "digging up the Catholic Faith by the roots" and "crushing out the Mass from English soil." Belloc also highlights the fatal error of Cardinal Richelieu in putting France before Catholicism and thus torpedoing Europe's last great chance of keeping Christendom united. Belloc warns that this breakup of Christendom may still destroy our Christian civilization. Even those who think they do not like history will be unable to put this book down. Brings history vividly to life!

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: TAN Books and Publishers (April 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0895554666
• ISBN-13: 978-0895554666
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #631,352 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a must-read -- finally, the truth about the Reformation, July 31, 2004

By 

A. Delgado "cubana1979" (New York, NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Characters of the Reformation: Historical Portraits of the 23 Men and Women and Their Place in the Great Religious Revolution of the 16th Century (Paperback)

This is the first book I've read by Belloc and I'm forever indebted to Belloc for the truth contained in his writings and his writing styles. I enjoyed the book so much that I immediately went online and ordered seven more books of his!

First, regarding his writing style: Belloc doesn't use boring footnotes or cite historical sources. This is actually appreciated, rather than criticized, for, the footnotes and sources are often ignored by the reader anyway and get in the way of the writing's flow. Also, Belloc writes remarkably like a modern-day writer in, say, a magazine article. He is speaking to the layperson in an easy to read style that is almost like a conversation. You will breeze through page after page.

Second, regarding the substance of Belloc's writing: this is an INDISPENSABLE work. Belloc starts out by stating that the English Reformation cannot be overemphasized because if England had not become Protestant, all of Europe would be Catholic today. This is most certainly true and Belloc easily lays out why. A chapter is dedicated to each person who played a major role in the Reformation, or attempted to combat it: characters like Henry VIII, Thomas More, Mary Tudor, Elizabeth, Mary Stuart, Thomas Cranmer, Thomas Cromwell, Steven Gardiner, etc. (23 individuals total). The chapters are small (a few pages each) and thus easily retain the reader's interest while still providing enough information for the reader to have an accurate picture of each individual.

Lastly, Belloc is writing from a Catholic viewpoint and, as such, the portrayals of the characters are devoid of the usual "the Protestant Reformation was a great and noble undertaking" bias and baloney. Some may say that, conversely, Belloc writes with a Catholic bias but, even if that is the case, such a work is necessary to counter the Protestant bias in nearly all works on the Reformation, written by Protestants.

If you're ready for the truth (that the Reformation was successful due to greedy, powerful Englishmen who had a perverse incentive to see it succeed -- to hold on to the enormous wealth they had acquired through confiscation of church property when the break with Rome occurred), get this book!! Get all of Belloc's books!!

16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, Readable, and Concise, December 12, 2003

By 

Arthem "arthem" (Knoxville, TN USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Characters of the Reformation: Historical Portraits of the 23 Men and Women and Their Place in the Great Religious Revolution of the 16th Century (Paperback)

Belloc does an outstanding job tracing a thread of continuity among the characters selected for this study. He is not wholly partisan, managing to achieve some slight pathos for Anne Boleyn & Elizabeth. To get this across to a partially educated Catholic reader is no mean feat, particularly when the last reformation history they read was Cobbett's polemic.

I did note that Belloc relies on Cobbett's History of the Protestant Reformation in England & Ireland as a source. And while this work is rousing, fairly convincing, and entertaining, it is too strong a piece of counter-propoganda to be relied upon.

Still, this has minor impact on Belloc's portrait. His assertion that the Reformation hinged in England is well supported. If anything, there is a subtle disdain for the Austrian/Spanish emporers (which I attribute to Belloc's Anglo-franco environment), particularly compared with the much more rigorous treatment by Warren Carroll.

This is an engaging read, and certainly provides an angle on the Reformation that is unlikely to be developed elsewhere. The book cannot be read without prior knowledge of Reformation & European history, or without a handy reference, as Belloc does not fully develop the historical context around his characters. Rather, the focus is on the characters themselves, and in this, Belloc is admirably successful in his efforts to rewrite the legacies of these individuals.

Finally, I found most impressive Belloc's assertions that Pascal and Descartes (as products of the Reformation) were the unwitting forebears of secularism, rationalism, and materialism. While Belloc's very brief argument needs further scrutiny, his division of Western Thought into Greek/Thomastic and post-Descartes is intriguing.

16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Who's Who in the Reformation, July 15, 2000

By 

M (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Characters of the Reformation: Historical Portraits of the 23 Men and Women and Their Place in the Great Religious Revolution of the 16th Century (Paperback)

Characters of the Reformation is a great insight into the motives of the folks who brought us the reformation. If you like Plutarch's Lives of famous Roman and Greeks, you'll like this book's style. Belloc examines each person's virtues and foibles, showing how they led to the split of Western Christendom. Luther, Calvin, various popes, and political figures are there. Belloc also includes overlooked characters, especially women like Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Mary Tudor and Elizabeth I. Belloc, who was a close friend of G.K. Chesterton, puts a Roman Catholic spin on the Reformation which is too often considered only from a Protestant perspective. Whatever your perspective, if you like knowing what makes people "tick," you'll get a kick out of this book.