Europe's Reformations, 1450-1650 Book

James D. Tracy structured his survey of the Reformation around two simple premises. First, the Protestant Reformation of the sixteenth century was one of several reform movements in the history of Western Christendom. Second, though religion serves as an important motive force behind history, it is one among many. Both views are in line with much recent scholarship concerning the period and offer an approach in keeping with the times.

Regarding the format of the book, Tracy focuses on doctrinal, political, and social devlopements seperately in three separate, but overlapping sections designed to stress the impact of the religious reform movement on a range of factors related to life in early modern Europe. Tracy's presentation of material, though well-intentioned, does lack seem of the excitement of other interpretations. By breaking the book apart into three parts, he also sacrifices the opportunity to show much of the historical contingency that seems to be at the heart of his argument.