The Protestant Tradition

Firstpublishedin1955,thisbookwasintendedtoofferanewinterpretationofearlyProtestantismand,againstthisbackground,asearchingtreatmentofmodernreligiousissues.TheProtestanttraditionstemsmainlyfromLuther,Calvin,andtheSectarians.Lutherwastherevolutionarygenius;becauseofhisacutesenseofparadoxhisteachingisdifficulttounderstand,butDrWhale'ssumming-upmakesitagooddealeasier.AfterhimCalvin,withhisremorselesslogic,mayseemanunsympatheticfigure;buthereheisshowninhisproperlightasthegreatstatesmananddoctrinarianoftheyoungchurch.TheSectarianmovementwassteadilygainingstrengthinEnglandinthesixteenthandseventeenthcenturies;DrWhaleexaminesitsteachingsandtellsofitslaterdevelopment.HespeakswithconvictionandvigouraboutissuesincludingreligioustoleranceandintoleranceandtheconflictbetweenChurchandState;hecloseswithapleaforunitytheChurch.