The Unquenchable Flame

The Unquenchable Flame

Michael Reeves presents a great read about the Reformation in his book The Unquenchable Flame, but if you are like most people, reading a history book is not your idea of fun.  I also must admit that the idea of having to read yet another textbook about information that we had already read about in a previous textbook was not exciting either.  I was pleasantly surprise, however, in the opening chapter of this book.  While it is your typical history book that gives you names that you probably cannot pronounce, places you probably have not heard of, and dates that you probably will not remember, it is written in a way that is interesting and fun. 

Reeves is not one of those boring historians who only presents the facts.  He also provides some of his own insight and interjects in the middle of the story with what appear to be some of his own opinions and thoughts.  There are quirky add-ins that make the story more interesting.  Another reason why this book is not your typical history book is because it truly does read like a story.  While the characters are real and the events actually happened, it almost reads like a work of fiction.  The story is captivating and interesting, and although I have studied the Reformation countless times before, I found myself captivated by this story.

So what exactly does Reeves discuss in this book?  Well, beginning with Martin Luther, who many would point to as the one who started what we now know as the "Reformation," Reeves walks his readers through years of history on how the Reformation developed and was carried out.  He takes his readers through the lives of men such as Luther, Zwingli, and Calvin.  He takes readers to the countries of Germany, France, Italy, England, and others.  He introduces the conflicts that arose because of the stance that these men took.  There is conflict between Rome and the Protestants.  There is conflict between the Protestants and other groups that begin to arise as a result of their bold stance.  But there is not only religious drama.  The politics are complicated as well, especially when you have a king who takes multiple wives all because none had bore him a son yet and a queen who makes it her personal mission to kill anyone who might disagree with her religious viewpoint.  While the Reformation is viewed in a positive light today by many, it was a rather dark time period.  There was death, corruption, and betrayal.  Even the "good guys" had their moments of weakness and did things that we would not approve of today. 

Yes, this is a history book, and you could find the stories told in countless other books.  But The Unquenchable Flame is a quick read, a good read, and a fun read.  Whether you have never read anything about the Reformation before or consider yourself somewhat of an expert on it, I encourage you to pick up this book and see where it all started.

Matt