22 October 2026
During the Reformation, theologians wrote, colleagues annotated, scribes recorded, and printers toiled, bringing Protestant doctrine and practice to life and transforming European society.
Demonstrating the benefit of integrating histories of culture and scholarship with historical theology, this book invites readers to view the Reformation and its writings with fresh eyes.
nstead of focusing solely on the printing press as an agent of change, Reading the Reformation recalls the forgotten methods of writing, annotating, publishing, and preserving texts by key Protestant reformers, from Martin Luther to John Calvin, from Martin Bucer to the Westminster Assembly. Zachary Purvis covers a broad range of topics, meticulously illuminating the physical and mental labor behind the texts that fostered the Reformation.
This book is an indispensable resource for students, scholars, history enthusiasts, and anyone interested in the transformative power of the written word during one of the most pivotal eras of European history.
Contents
Introduction
1. Martin Luther and Fellow Reformers Read Books
2. Martin Bucer and His Secretaries
3. John Calvin Preaches a Sermon
4. Scribes Before and at the Westminster Assembly
Conclusion
Index
Endorsements
“Purvis takes a deep dive into some of the most important material aspects of the Reformation: the relationships between reformers and their printers, their paper and ink, and the books they read. He shows how medium and message interacted in specific ways, how the material aspects of the reformers’ daily lives and of the preservation and publication of their thoughts shaped history. This well-crafted volume provides delight to readers!”
–Robert Kolb, professor of systematic theology, Concordia Seminary, Saint Louis
“This is an exceptionally thoughtful book. Rather than retelling the familiar story of Protestant theologies, Zachary Purvis brings the Reformation to life by taking us into its evolution through reading, annotating, writing, printing, and preaching. Elegant, learned, and consistently illuminating, Reading the Reformation demonstrates how transformative thought was forged not only through reflection but on the cluttered desk of a scholar, in the grimy print shop, and within a cold church during early morning worship. Every text is the story of many lives.”
–Bruce Gordon, Titus Street Professor of Ecclesiastical History, Yale Divinity School
“This richly researched study offers a fascinating new perspective on major figures like Luther, Bucer, and Calvin and on the clerical synods that shaped the Reformation. How did the reformers produce so much writing—notes, sermons, treatises, and vast quantities of letters—while also managing new churches? They depended on many text-making experts: printers, copyists, and assistants who were equally dedicated to the cause but have largely been left out of accounts of the Reformation—until now.”
–Ann Blair, Harvard University; author of In the Scholar’s Workshop: Hidden Histories of Collaboration and Authorship
“In this ambitious book, Dr. Purvis offers a concise account of how the Reformation generation read books, found help writing books, and captured words spoken in sermons, lectures, and lively debates. Reading the Reformation is just what this fascinating and impeccably researched study helps us do better. Both author and publisher, along with those who assisted them, are to be thanked for this fresh look at the job of writing and the joy of reading.”
–Chad Van Dixhoorn, professor of church history and theology, Reformed Theological Seminary, Charlotte
Author: Zachary Purvis
