Book Review: "How the Reformation Happened" by Hilaire Belloc
I had finished this book back in November, but had just recently been able to write up a review on this to post on our blog. Not only do I include my review, but I also add on as to why we should care as Catholic men to read this marvel, and what implications it has on us.
This book has answered nearly everything I wanted to know about the Reformation. There are only but a few smaller questions that I have left unanswered, but the larger "why's" of the split of Christendom have been answered brilliantly by Hilaire Belloc. This was the first book I had read by Belloc, and I do intend to read many more of his works as he is a prominent English Catholic writer whom I seem to become more drawn to as I continue to dive into his literature. I think one of the things I particularly enjoyed about this book was Belloc's ability to remain objective while explaining the truths of the Reformation. I learned much about the corruption within the men of our own faith of Catholicism which Belloc was able to explain objectively without much attachment to emotion to exaggerate or downplay whatever thing. Because he was able to do this so effectively, I was able to understand and learn truths for what they are without becoming overly animated about them.
Belloc answered all of my "why's" that I have been desiring to learn, and I love that it was from a Catholic author able to maintain objectivity for explanation throughout the read. Too often we see the anti-Catholic hatred attempt to explain the Reformation and its "positive effect" and "glory" that it has laid down upon history, when in reality, it was a travesty to split Christendom. This will be the first book that I recommend to anyone who wants to learn the authentic truths of the Reformation. A must-read.
Why should you care then, dear reader? Well, how many of you actually how what happened during the Reformation, and why it actually happened? How many times have we conversed with our Protestant brothers and sisters (or even non-Christian friends) without proper knowledge or understanding of the split of the body of Christ? I would argue that a very large majority of Catholics don't have a thorough understanding of this sadness, and at the same time, neither do Protestants or non-Christians.
This book is something everyone should absolutely read, especially if they are interested in the split of Christianity, or if they want to know why it even took place initially. It should matter to you, as a Catholic man (assuming that you, the reader are indeed a Catholic man) because you should be able to explain the "whys" and the "hows" of the split and be able to do so to whomever your audience is. The great thing of this book is that it was written objectively, so that the truths of this tragic event can be looked at and agreed upon without becoming too emotionally invested.
By knowing how the monumental event unfolded, you could potentially use it as an opportunity to evangelize, which is of course, what we ought to be doing. Dorothy Day said, "Everything a baptized person does every day, should be directly or indirectly related to the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy" thus "instructing the ignorant" would brilliantly apply in this case.
Men, do yourselves a favor and educate yourselves and grow in faith. Be men.
