Great Read for those who are making the full circuit Catholic to Evangelical to Reformed

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	• Characters of the Reformation: Historical Portraits of the 23 Men and Women and Their Place in the Great ... Hilaire Belloc T A N Books & Publishers, 1992 - 208 pages average customer review:based on 13 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Great Read for those who are making the full circuit Catholic to Evangelical to Reformed

Interesting to read if you have looked at church from both sides now...

Reformation Information

This is a good book about the people involved in the Reformation and their contribution to the evolvment of the world thereafter.

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Finally the Truth!

After several people at my church advised me repeatedly to read Belloc, I finally complied. I am very happy that I did. Hillaire Belloc lays bare the sordid motivations of the Protestant "Reformers" and proceeds to rake them over hot coals. It is very easy to complain about priestly corruption, but if you seize land from monasteries, sell the lead from the stain glass windows, and keep the profits, you gain a great deal of money and power. Although Belloc tends to be very "Anglo-centric," his conclusions are very well supported. According to him, England's Protestant regime was so influential in exporting Protestantism through arms sales, money, and military advisors that if England had not become Protestant, the whole revolt would eventually have fizzled out. This is not to say that he never covers other nations. His descriptions of Germany, Scotland, Sweden, and the failed attempts to impose Calvinism on France make for fascinating reading. For those of us brought up with the "traditonal" interpretation of the "REformation," Belloc proves invaluable. To all you Catholics out there, I say "Read this book!!!"

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The Reformation Viewed by the Character or Lack of Character of Some of the Leaders

Hilaire Belloc' CHARACTERS OF THE REFORMATION is an informative book that explains the religious upheaval through the individuals who either supported it or tried to stop it. Belloc is very clear that most of those who supported the Reformation were motivated more by greed and desire for political power rather than any religious conviction.

Belloc begins this study with a background of the Reformation, and explains how the Reformers and those opposed to the Reformation responded to the disunity of the Catholic Church. The historical background is important in that each of those who supported the different "reform" movements conform to the general direction of the Reformation. This early section of the book is important to comprehending the remainder of the book.

Belloc's sections regarding Henry VIII (1509-1547) is instructive. Henry VIII was an intelligent, vibrant man when he first took power in 1509. Yet, due to Henry VIII's lust, he ruined both the Catholic Church in England and his own life because of sexually transmitted diseases. Many uninformed Protestants argue that Henry VIII's break with the Catholic Church was due to his attempt at annulment from his wife, Catherine of Aragon. Belloc destroys this myth. Henry VIII's desire for Anne Bolyn was the reason for his break with the Catholic Church. Readers should also note that Henry VIII considered himself a good Catholic, and he merely replaced the Pope with himself. Henry VIII kept the Sacraments and Liturgy of the Catholic Church. What Henry VIII had to do to keep support of his nobility and members of Parliament was to either sanction or at least turn a blind eye to these people literally looting the Catholic Church's wealth and property including universities, orphanges, farm land, monastaries, etc. This is just one example of how greed was the basis of the English Reformation. Henry VIII's mental instability is reflected in his incrasing cruelty which he thought was power.

Belloc's portrayal of Thomas Cromwell (1485-1540)is one of the best this reviewer has ever read. Cromwell became extremely wealthy and increasingly greedy as he helped Henry VIII and the English nobility loot the Catholic Church's wealth. Belloc states that Cromwell had not religious convictions and was in the English Reformation "for the money" and the political power he gained. This may have been Cromwell's undoing. Cromwell antagonized members of Parliament and especially the English nobility who had the ear of Henry VIII. In other words Cromwell made too many enemies which resulted in the parliamentarians passing a bill of attainder requiring the death penalty.

Belloc presents Thomas More (1478-1535)as a man of honor, courage, and decency. Thomas More was appointed Lord High Chancellor, but More has scruples and religious convictions that could not be shaken. St. Thomas More conceded position, wealth, power, and eventually his life to keep the Faith. More was an intelligent man whose intellect gave him the direction he needed to keep the Faith. One should note that More had doubts about his firm convictions, but he never wavered even when he faced the prospect of execution after a rigged trial. One should note that Mary Queen of Scots was convicted after a rigged trial where she was not permitted to present evidence that would have exonerated her. Queen Elizabeth I (1558-1603)did not want the execution to take place, but she was so politically compromised by her parliamentarians and nobility who supported the Reformation to keep their loot that she was powerless to stop the execution.

Belloc also presents some of the European Reformation characters. This is an interesting section of the book. For example, Belloc presents the French Cardinal Richleau (1585-1642)as advisor to King Louis XIII (1610-1643)as one who stifled the Reformation in France but abetted it in other areas of Europe. Richleau moved to severely limit the French Protestants, but he helped subsidize the Protestant King of Sweden Gustavus Adolphus (1611-1632)during the Thirty Year War (1618-1648). This war may show that the Reformation became increasingly political. Richleau helped reduce the power of the Catholic Hapsburgs in Germany and Spain by enlisting Protestant support. Richleau feared Hapsburgh power against France more than he feared the Reformation. As an aside, King Gustavus Adolphus may have been the only ruler who was a fanatical Protestant, and his soldiers were very brutal in their massacres of Catholics. His death on the battlefield in 1632 may have been unintended justice.

Belloc's incluson of Rene Descartes (1596-1650) and Pascal (1623-1662)may have been overdrawn. Belloc chides Descartes for placing to much emphasis on reason, and Belloc condemns Pascal for his emphasis on emotion. By the time these two men wrote philosophy, the Reformation and Counter-Reformation had exhausted Europe, and their ideas were not that much of a factor. Yet, Belloc gives his readers good accounts of both men's ideas.

Belloc gives accounts of other Reformation figures which readers should follow. Belloc should have presented studies of Martin Luther (1483-1546) and St. Ignatius Loyola (1491-1556). These men were "major players" during the Reformation and Counter-Reformation. This would have effectively enhanced his study.

Hilaire Belloc wrote a solid book. Even though one may disagree with him, Belloc's lucid writing style should attract readers' attention. Belloc states his thesis that the Reformation was much more a politcal and economic phenomena than religious. He cites the individuals who were notable figures, and he explains their motives in light of historical developments and subsequent events. This reviewer highly recommends this book.

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Wonderful!

This is a beautifully written and fascinating account of the twenty-three main protagonists of Reformation Europe, from Henry VIII to Louis XIV. Belloc includes incredible detail around the lives and times of such as William Cecil and his dwarfish son, Robert, the true rulers of Elizabethan England. This book further expands on Belloc's theory, first put forth in "How the Reformation Happened", that the Reformation was really a rising of the rich against the poor. Belloc provides startling revelations relative to the looting of Church properties in Reformation England that led its looters to becoming the new landed gentry, who then ran the Parliament and ultimately usurped the throne of England with the elevation of William III, of Orange. This work is outstanding and essential. I recommend reading Belloc's "How the Reformation Happened" first and then reading this great book.

To read Belloc is to have the feeling of listening to a remarkably wise and talented story teller, who has the patience and grace to speak to you from his heart relative to matters about which you should care deeply. Before reading Belloc, I do not think I truly understood European history. Thanks to his wonderful work, I feel as if I am beginning to discern the great truths of this all important saga of human history.

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reviews: page 1, 2, 3

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!

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