Christ's Churches Purely Reformed A Social History of Calvinism Philip Benedict

This sweeping book tells the story of Calvinism's origins, expansion, and impact across Europe from the upheavals of the early Reformation to the end of the seventeenth century. The faith's fundamental doctrines, diverse ecclesiastical institutions, and significant consequences for lived experience are all explored, revealing the ongoing interplay between a dynamic religious tradition and the worlds in which it took root.
"This is a rare and great achievement: a broad survey . . . that is at once a gripping narrative and a fresh interpretation of the subject, as masterful with the small details as with the big picture." --Carlos Eire, Yale University

Philip Benedict is William Prescott and Annie McClelland Smith Professor of History and Religion at Brown University.

"[This book] is a thoughtful, learned, and lucid synthesis of Calvinism's beginnings, development, successes, and limits. . . . To say that Benedict succeeds in these goals is an understatement; this is an important book of lasting value. Some of the bibliographic material in the endnotes indicates the depth and brilliance of his work. Highly recommended. All levels."--Choice