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Christendom Destroyed: Europe 1517-1648 (The Penguin History of Europe) Hardcover – November 28, 2014

by Mark Greengrass (Author)

26 customer reviews

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“The latest volume to appear in the Penguin History of Europe. Like its companion volumes, [Christendom Destroyed] is no breezy survey but a masterly synthesis of depth and breadth."—The Wall Street Journal

“The political and religious conflicts of early modern Europe receive high-quality treatment from Greengrass.... an excellent addition to the new Penguin History of Europe.”—Financial Times

From peasants to princes, no one was untouched by the spiritual and intellectual upheaval of the sixteenth century. Martin Luther’s challenge to church authority forced Christians to examine their beliefs in ways that shook the foundations of their religion. The subsequent divisions, fed by dynastic rivalries and military changes, fundamentally altered the relations between ruler and ruled. Geographical and scientific discoveries challenged the unity of Christendom as a belief community. Europe, with all its divisions, emerged instead as a geographical projection. Chronicling these dramatic changes, Thomas More, Shakespeare, Montaigne, and Cervantes created works that continue to resonate with us.
Spanning the years 1517 to 1648, Christendom Destroyed is Mark Greengrass’s magnum opus: a rich tapestry that fosters a deeper understanding of Europe’s identity today.

Christendom Destroyed: Europe 1517-1648 (The Penguin History of Europe)

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Product Details

Series: The Penguin History of Europe
Hardcover: 752 pages
Publisher: Viking; 1St Edition edition (November 28, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0670024562
ISBN-13: 978-0670024568
Product Dimensions: 6.2 x 1.7 x 9.2 inches
Shipping Weight: 2.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #303,510 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #448 in Books > History > World > Religious > Religion, Politics & State
- #470 in Books > Religion & Spirituality > Religious Studies > Church & State
- #1854 in Books > Christian Books & Bibles > Churches & Church Leadership > Church History

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Customer Reviews

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4 star		27%
3 star		8%
2 star		8%
1 star		7%

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An interesting and different take

By Eric C. Petersen on February 15, 2015

Format: Hardcover Verified Purchase

Quite an achievement by Greengrass who seems to have read about every document published in the 16th and 17th centuries. He breaks down "big picture" movements such as the Reformation, Counter Reformation, the wars of religion, 30 Years War and so forth into discreet examples of "small picture" events taking place in various parts of Europe at the same time; these smaller, localized events either gained wider traction, or not, and it was these knock-on movement that shaped the course of events. I wouldn't recommend this book for those without a general knowledge of the history of the period or tying the many specific examples Greengrass uses might not coalesce into a comprehensible picture; however, the bits and pieces do make for interesting reading. I thought his approach to the 30 Years War provided a most interesting insight of the conflict: It contains virtually no military history - unusual for coverage of a war - rather he looks at the changing pressures put on the major players in the conflict, their motives, changing alliances and so forth that well explains this most confusing conflict in a new light. Scholars of this period should find this book indispensable; for the average reader perhaps a bit of a challenge - why I gave it four instead of five stars. The author's writing style is approachable but also interestingly oblique and pithy. The outstanding characteristic of the book is the depth and breath of Greengrass's knowledge, a tribute to his outstanding scholarship. [Screen seems to have frozen up so I can't edit this; hopefully it makes some sense as is!]

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History in Detail

By Clay Garner on December 4, 2015

Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase

The introduction and the first chapter provide the conceptual cup to contain the huge flow of detail that follow. For example:

"That renegotiation of power contributed to a different sense of what religious truth was in Protestant Europe. It became a truth declared by God, as guaranteed by the Scriptures, embodied in creeds, statements to which people subscribed, and lived out in confessionally configured communities where the instruments of public authority structured and monitored people’s lives and behaviours. Attenuated was the sense of humankind as a participant in God’s work of redeeming his creation. God had established a world of nature in which the sins of humankind were a fact of life, to be regulated, controlled and limited. Those limits were policed by state power, itself constructed around a theo-political imagination in which God’s power was the model of that of the state itself –both almighty and irresistible." Interesting explanation.

However, Greengrass' comments can be interesting without being clear or even persuasive. I am not sure why. Is it the how he writes? Or his way of making assertions without background?

The writing contains a massive amount of detail without clear ideas for insight. This book could be used as reference, but I found it difficult to assimilate. Nevertheless, I learned a lot from the pages I read. I skipped a lot.

Another analysis of this history, although with a different theme, is Peter Gay's two volumes: "The Enlightenment- The Rise of Modern Paganism". Much easier to apprehend. Stephen Ozment also covers the medieval world in "The Age of Reform: 1250 - 1550".

The last chapte of Greengrass' book was interesting.The concluding paragraph:

"At 10.30 p.m.Read more ›

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Decline but not destruction

By LD TOP 1000 REVIEWERVINE VOICE on May 5, 2015

Format: Hardcover

Just as many people see a deterioration in most aspects of life today, the author attempts to show this in the 16th and 17th centuries. The Catholic Church was the dominate influence in many aspects of life and after the birth of Protestantism, together they were called Christendom.

The feudal system was being replaced by self-serving aristocrats, crop failures and disease seemed to contradict religious dogma, colonies and inventions were upsetting the financial status quo, city dwellers and farmers had opposing goals, trade and discoveries were breaking traditional views. The Church teachings and influence were being challenged on multiple fronts. The author attempts to tie it all together under “Christendom Destroyed.”

Greengrass shows that the Thirty Years War was preceded by lots of revolts and realignments. The Thirty Years War is thought of as Catholic versus Protestant but the fluid alliances were based on self serving designs. The social and political upheaval weakened the role of religion in actions and beliefs.

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I have been teaching medieval history (mainly religion) and find ...

By walt meyer on February 8, 2015

Format: Hardcover Verified Purchase

I have been teaching medieval history (mainly religion) and find this book to be a tremendous resource. It is a very comprehensive treatment of a very troubled time in the history of Christianity.

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a fantastic history of the period

By K. Kennedy on August 13, 2015

Format: Hardcover

"Christendom Destroyed" by Mark Greengrass is an incredibly detailed analysis of the history of Christendom (not just Europe) during this period. The author provides some very thought-provoking analysis of the events, and does not just focus on the usual England and France, but looks at Armenia, Sweden, and other often ignored countries of Christendom. The author has done a marvelous job with this book, and though it does time to plow through and think about, but it is well worth it!

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

Five Stars

No comment

Published 7 days ago by NuriSami

Very engaging.

Fabulous! I'm about half way through.

Published 6 months ago by Ellen

magisterial

thoroughly researched.

Published 10 months ago by then bee lian

One Star

Enjoyed up to last chapters. Cancelled order.

Published 11 months ago by steven j mozolak

Four Stars

Good product, exactly as advertised.

Published 12 months ago by Amazon Customer

To sum it up in one word - the book is boring.

Disappointing

I had been looking forward to reading this book because I am quite interested in the subject matter. Read more

Published 13 months ago by Steve & Pat Kutay

Five Stars

Thank You.

Published 15 months ago by Chicago Joe

true history book explaining a very complicated time in Christianity...

true history book explaining a very complicated time in Christianity.

Published 15 months ago by Barbara Burt

Doesn't link the Renaissance with the Reformation.

I've done a fair amount of reading around this period, and--although I've not read this book yet--have found one egregious error that this book seems to perpetuate. Read more

Published 15 months ago by FarTraveler

Most four/five star reviews seems to be fake.

This book is part of Penguin's new series of European history. Do not think for a second think that you can pick it up and understand something about European history between 1517... Read more

Published 16 months ago by Jackal