The Reformers and Their Stepchildren

This book tells the story of God's suffering Church in comparison with the Protestants who caused suffering. Qoutes and historical information backs up every statement in this book. I highly recommend it. Follow Jesus...not man.

Since time immemorial man has had the God-given drive to be free. Afterall the primairy obligation of man to believe in Christ is impossible unless he experiences in his heart freedom of conscience. Jesus Christ came to set man free - free from sin and free to choose. Verduin shows how it was Jesus himself Who laid the foundation for freedom of religion and how his faithful followers have always been guardians of this right even to the point of paying the highest price. This is really is a wonderful book for anybody who cherishes this foundational and God-given right. If you like this book you certainly also want to read The Anatomy of A Hybrid in which Verduin shows in a structured and comprehensive way how God has introduced this right in the world.

This is must reading for anyone fed up with political Christianity. Verduin unmasks many of the myths about the Reformation which the mainstream Protestant churches fail to teach. "Stepchildren" is a term Verduin uses to designate the more radical front of the Reformation which was later scorned and persecuted by the officially sanctioned Protestant churches. Verduin avoids the term "Anabaptist" because this underground dissent of Christendom went all the way back to the days of Constantine and had no official founder or name. Known throughout the centuries as Donatists, Waldenses, Cathars, or Anabaptists,the "stepchildren" had the greatest influence in securing the religious liberties we enjoy today. Verduin spares no criticism of the Reformers, ie Luther, Calvin, and Zwingli, who merely replaced Roman Catholic theocracy with one of their own. Originally allied with the "stepchildren", the Reformers became their bitterest enemies when they allied themselves with the governing authorities and used civil and military force to coerce believers. It was the "stepchildren", many of whom emigrated to the American colonies, and not the Reformers, who had the greatest influence upon religious freedom and separation of church and state which was later incorporated into the First Ammendment of our Constitution. The First Ammendment, once and for all, ended the notion that America would ever become a "Sacral" or theocratic society tied together by one religion.

Around 10 years ago I borrowed a copy of this book to read.After reading it once I borrowed it again to re-read. The authordid a great service in uncovering the European historical records on Christian sects which, during the 400AD to post-Reformation period, were accused as 'heretics' by the 'church'(the one wielding worldly power and influence). It is an excellent scholarly book(the author has the entire text and footnotes in the original languages) covering in detail much of the historical context for the doctrinal fight which the followers of Jesus Christ have had in 'contending the faith' since the Apostle-age. Highly recommended!!- and I hope it's obvious historical value can merit a reprinting.

Reverend Leonard Verduin devoted his life to serving the Lord. He died in Nov., 1999, at the age of 102, still working on his writing until the last couple of months of a rich, God-Fearing life. This is just one of the books he wrote in an effort to inform his fellow-man of the true history of Christianity since Jesus Christ brought Salvation to this world. Leonard was a Fulbright scholar who not only spent a full year researching the original ancient and pre-modern records in Europe, but also devoted decades to research in many facets of history and other subjects. He had a truly idetic memory and could perfectly recall everything he ever read. He was a brilliant linguist, who read the texts in their original forms. He translated many works. He dedicated his life to the Lord at an early age and steadfastly held to the course. If you want to truly understand Christianity's history, this book is a must-read, together with his book published in 1998, "That First Amendment and the Remnant". His other works are also first-rate!