Biographies of a Reformation

This book is based in impressive archival and often obscure secondary materials and raises stimulating issues for future Reformation scholarship. * Paul W. Knoll, Austrian History Yearbook *
Reading [this monograph] is a real pleasure, but also productive: indeed, following the characters allows one to grasp the full range of ambiguities that also unfold at the individual level...The variety of cases and nuances discussed thus goes beyond this regional study, on the fringes of the Holy Roman Empire, to feed more general reflections on the malleability of confessions. * Christophe Duhamelle, Francia Recensio *
Martin Christ's monograph makes an important contribution to [the field of Reformation research] by bringing together the complex developments of the 16th century in a narrative that significantly, knowledgeably and convincingly enriches our understanding of the Reformation and its development in Upper Lusatia. * Friedrich Pollack, Lětopis *
Christ's fascinating account highlights the creative as well as destructive consequences that followed from efforts to negotiate both the extent and limits of religious pluralism in Upper Lusatia. * Graeme Murdock, Trinity College Dublin, Huguenot Society Journal *
Christ follows his narrative through the biographies of eight remarkable, Lutheran and Catholic individuals [...] which he connects to nuanced analyses of the local and regional contexts. * Alexander Kästner, Historische Zeitschrift [TRANSLATED FROM GERMAN] *
The prose is smooth and readable. The author presents a compelling case for the complexities of the Reformation which must be understood not only from the perspectives of the rulers, advisors, and theological combatants, but also from lesser stately actors, like mayors and town councilors, and town populations. * Susan Mobley, Lutheran Quarterly *
The monograph provides excellent evidence that religious change in Upper Lusatia took place under its own conditions and followed its own dynamics. At the same time, it illustrates the complexity, fluidity and temporal extension of religious formation processes in the early modern period, to which it undoubtedly makes an important contribution.  * Christine Marianne Schoen, The Journal of Ecclesiastical History *
Martin Christ's work takes the genre to yet a new level by aiming to interpret a spiritual and religious movement of the Reformation through the lives of its selected protagonists-unique individuals and representatives of intellectual career patterns at the same time. This approach is well-chosen, illuminating, and refreshing [...] Analogies and more extreme examples added to the Upper Lusatian ones from other 'decentralized power structures' of Central Europe do not distract from the uniqueness of the Biographies of a Reformation but rather make it more relevant, fitting into a broader trend of nuancing grand narratives on the ground. * Katalin Szende, Historical Studies on Central Europe *
Christ has produced a detailed and meticulously researched history of the Reformation in Upper Lusatia. His impressive use of archival and other source material is to be commended as is his refreshing and innovative methodology. [...] The volume is a wonderful addition to Reformation scholarship and it will be a valuable resource for researchers and students alike. * Ruth Atherton, The English Historical Review *
Martin Christ has built upon [previous] studies to show how, within the towns of the Lusatian League, leaders were able to negotiate Lutheran and Catholic beliefs, practices, and spaces to keep the peace. Smaller towns were much more numerous than the larger imperial cities and this work broadens our understanding of reform in the sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries. It is a welcome addition to Reformation studies. * Bruce McNair, Renaissance Quarterly *
An engaging and entertaining read [...] This region therefore offers a good opportunity to observe the possibilities and limitations of religious coexistence in the Holy Roman Empire. * Damien Tricoire, Zeitschrift für historische Forschung *