The Protestant Reformation wasn’t simply a male movement. Many Christian women were also heavily involved in the Reformation. In fact, a new book called Reformation Women gives readers a glimpse into the lives of 12 various women God used to help bring the church back to a clearer understanding of the gospel. In just over 120 pages this book is a great introduction to the lives of some very solid Christian women who were a blessing to many people in 16th century Europe.
I have to admit that at first I thought this book would be quite repetitive. I was guessing that each woman’s life would sound similar: they were married to a Reformed husband and they did a few things to help out. However, this book isn’t repetitive at all. These women had lives that were quite different. For example, Anna Adlischweiler spent much of her youth in a convent since her family was very poor. After Anna heard Ulrich Zwingli preach, she was converted and later married Henry Bullinger. Marguerite de Navarre’s story is not at all the same. She was part of a noble family. Her brother Francois was the king of France. Marguerite used her position to help the cause of the Reformation in France. These are just two examples of two very different accounts of Reformation women. And it is true: these women were quite brave, bold, and full of faith!
I appreciated this book because it was well-written, easy to follow, and very interesting. The introduction and conclusion are very helpful in that they give reasons why it’s important to learn about women of the Reformation and lists several things we can learn from them. I’ll be recommending this book when people ask if I have any ideas for a women’s book club at church. But this book isn’t just for women! It’s for anyone who wants to learn about Reformation history and be edified and encouraged in the faith at the same time.
Rebecca VanDoodewaard, Reformation Women (Grand Rapids: Reformation Heritage Books, 2017).
(This book was provided to me for review by “Cross Focused Reviews”; I was not compelled to write a positive review.)
Shane Lems
Covenant Presbyterian Church (OPC)
Hammond, WI
The Reformed Reader Blog 