Examining the Reformation is like examining a beautiful diamond. Every angle reveals something new and invites further inspection. Celebrating the Legacy of the Reformation provides the valuable insights of leading Church historians on various facets of the Reformation. I especially appreciate the chapters dedicated to theology, preaching and missions. This is a welcomed addition to the field of Reformation Studies.” —Daniel L. Akin, president, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary “Needed today is a generation of historians committed to Reformation research. Needed more still, however, is a generation of theologians and pastors committed to applying Reformation doctrine to the church today. For that reason, Celebrating the Legacy of the Reformation is a welcomed contribution, encouraging Christians across the globe not only to study the Reformation but retrieve its theological heritage. With the Reformation was born a right reading of scripture, one that not only bowed to the authority of scripture itself but recovered its gospel message. As a result, the church experienced new life, eyes opened wide to the free grace God gives to all those who trust in Christ alone. May this volume do the same for the church today.” —Matthew Barrett, associate professor of Christian theology, Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary “The Reformation was a watershed event that transformed the life, faith, and practices of the western church in enduring ways. The recent 500th anniversary of Luther’s clarion call for church reform was an apt occasion for reflecting on its impact in the past and ongoing legacy today. This book offers a valuable resource for students, scholars, and pastors alike to consider the multifaceted dimensions of the Reformation story within a faith community.” —Jennifer Powell McNutt, associate professor of theology and history of Christianity, Wheaton College” “While focusing on the key aspects of the Reformation - theology, liturgy, catechesis, preaching, missions, and martyrology - this compendium successfully covers both the magisterial and the radical reformations as well as their most famous representatives. One specific purpose appears to have driven authors and editors in putting these contributions together: that of drafting a comprehensive picture of what the Reformation was five centuries ago and what it means to the contemporary world. Their efforts do pertinently reveal the ever new meanings of the half-millennial European Reformations, a complex range of events whose significance is shown here to be far from over. In other words, I have found a new compulsory source for my course in Reformation theology.” —Corneliu C. Simuț, professor of historical and systematic theology, Emanuel University, Romania, and Senior Vice-Chancellor Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of Pretoria, South Africa “Two major questions direct our understanding of the Protestant Reformation: What happened historically? And, what does it mean for us today? Celebrating the Legacy of the Reformation accurately draws upon history in order to provide compelling answers regarding current meaning. Whether addressing theology or devotion, preaching or missions, the authors demonstrate why the Reformation still matters: Ultimately, God’s Word of justifying grace continues to address every human being at the point of their deepest need. As a scholar and as a Christian, I thus highly commend this work to you.” —Malcolm B. Yarnell III, research professor of systematic theology, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
