[HarleyD]

Hmmm… reading about this time is very interesting and I will need to do more studying on this subject. I enjoy these posts.

I remember reading something not too long ago by a rabbi about how at the time of Christ there was great spiritual turmoil and several individuals claimed they would rise from the dead. Therefore, Christ was not any different then the rest of these.

I thought this was an interesting comment. Without going to far into apologetics Christ had multiple sightings and plus promises to give us His Holy Spirit when we know Him. None of the others people who made this claim could do that.

What made this comment interesting to me is that during the coming of Christ others arose who attempted to obscure the REAL message - of the redemptive nature of Christ. The period of the Reformation also seems to be similar to the time of Christ. Great turmoil and many different mix messages. Satan has always confused people since the garden of Eden. One can only wonder if Satan wasn’t trying to obscure God’s message during the Reformation with these various cults. If people stay true to God's Word and pray they can chart these waters.

[drstevej]

Interesting thesis, Harley.

George H. Williams, The Radical Reformation is an awesome synthesis and analysis of this aspect of the era. Too many historians have simply labelled all of these individuals as Anabaptists and dismissed them without any real analysis. Williams has done the homework and provides needed context for understanding the Reformatin era.

Unfortunately, Williams' book cost $75 in paper and $130 hardback. It was used as the primary text for a doctoral course I took at Westminster Seminary on the Radical Reformation. It definitely shaped my thinking about the era.