# Italian Reformation



## Me Died Blue (Oct 15, 2008)

In my latest used bookstore run to get new inventory for our business, I came across a clearance book I simply couldn't pass up for myself: _Because of Christ_ edited by James M. Houston. It's an abridged and edited edition of _One Hundred and Ten Considerations_ by Juan de Valdés and _On the Benefit of Jesus Christ, Crucified_ by Don Benedetto. From the back cover:



> Both writers protested not merely against the corruption of the Roman Catholic Church, as Martin Luther did, but went further to challenge the Italian humanism of the Renaissance. Juan de Valdés communicates the struggle and debate regarding how justification by faith is lived out. The writing of Don Benedetto includes central themes about Christ's death, and the roles that assurance and joy play in the Christian life.



As noted in both introductions, we typically do not think of Italy as participating in the Reformation. I had never even heard of these two men, and yet apparently they were essentially their geographic area's spiritual leaders of their time. Of Benedetto's work, the editor notes,



> Others in Germany might speak of 'Lutheranism,' or of 'Calvinism' in Geneva, but here in Italy the watchword was 'Il Beneficio di Christo.'"



Likewise,



> But how did it all arise in Italy? Clearly it was both a reaction to Italian humanism as well as a reform of a worldly and corrupt church. It was also the recovery of biblical thought by men reading the Pauline epistles in the original language. But above all, it was the personal influence of Juan de Valdés (c. 1498-1541), who led a distinguished career as courtier, scholar, politician, and theologian.



From an initial glance at the table of contents, these two works in particular seem to be wonderfully balanced. In conjunction with its perpetual focus on justification through faith being lived out, de Valdés' piece contains a whole chapter on the Holy Spirit in the believer's life, and also one on the Christian's use of Scripture. Likewise, Benedetto's work has an extensive chapter on remedies for lack of assurance.

After finishing this Victor Classics book, I hope to be able to get unabridged editions of both works. Are all of them even fully translated into English? Also, I searched for even just a mention of either theologian on the board, and came up empty. Has anyone else encountered their work, or read much about them?


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## VirginiaHuguenot (Oct 15, 2008)

Yes, I have heard of them, although I agree the Italian Reformation is little known today. You may recall that the Turretins as well as Diodati came from Italy to Switzerland. Not to mention the Waldensians in Italy, Savonarola, Paleario and others.

Juan de Valdés - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
DON BENEDETTO HOME PAGE MASTER LIST
History of the Progress and ... - Google Book Search
Waldensians - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
http://www.puritanboard.com/f18/girolamo-savonarola-6652/
http://www.puritanboard.com/f18/girolamo-savonarola-2-a-33165/
http://www.puritanboard.com/f18/francis-spira-17917/
Aonio Paleario - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Life and Times of Aonio Paleario ... - Google Book Search
SGCB | THE ITALIAN REFORMER: The Life and Martyrdom of Aonio Paleario: and the Book "The Benefit of Christ's Death"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pietro_Martire_Vermigli
http://www.puritanboard.com/f85/Peter-martyr-vermigli-17165/
Sonnet XVIII: On the Late Massacre in Piedmont by John Milton
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernardino_Ochino
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pietro_Perna
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerome_Zanchius
http://www.puritanboard.com/f29/zurich-letters-online-free-17927/
http://www.puritanboard.com/f33/zan...rate-his-whole-body-christian-religion-22621/


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## Ginny Dohms (Oct 15, 2008)

Still Waters Revival Books sells this book:

Author M (Summaries by Reg Barrow and Others -- Free Discount Christian Mail Order Catalogue -- Classic Puritan Books)

M'CRIE, THOMAS: History of the Progress and Suppression of the Reformation in Italy in the Sixteenth Century (1856)

This book has been translated into French, Dutch, German and Italian. "The circulation" of this book, notes the advertisement to the second edition (in 1856), especially in the language of the natives of Italy, has, as might be expected, roused the jealousy of the Court of Rome. Accordingly, in the Index of Prohibited Books, by command of Pope Gregory XVI, under the decree of 22d September 1836, the Italian version of Dr. M'Crie's Progress and Suppression of the Reformation in Italy, takes its place with other criminals... In the famous Encyclical Letter, published by the same pontiff on the 8th May 1844, against the Bible Society and the Christian Alliance, our author's work is again denounced in the goodly company of the Bible and the History of the Reformation by Dr. Merle d'Aubigne (see below--RB).

Further notes reveal that "the history of the Reformation in Italy was a favorite with the author;" it being the only work of standard merit on the Reformation in Italy -- ' the one book on the subject,' as it is termed by an Italian correspondent -- (which) has been the production of a Scottish minister, whose time was so occupied by other pursuits, which he held to be of paramount importance, that the wonder must be how he could have contrived to collect, condense, and arrange in such an interesting narrative, the mass of information which it contains.

Another interesting sidebar, which M'Crie relays in the Preface to the first edition, shows that, the Index Expurgatorius of Rome was itself reformed, with the view of preventing it from being known that certain names had once been branded with the stigma of heresy.
When your father is the father of lies, as with Rome, you leave quite a trail to expose your wickedness to all those who are open to the truth.

The appendix contains some very interesting pieces, not the least of which is a letter written from Rome in 1521 concerning Luther. Items like this give insight (otherwise unavailable) into the intrigues and machinations of Romish whore, as well as painting a clear picture of what the Reformers and those who followed them were facing, as they risked their lives for the cause of Christ. At one point the writer (of this letter) notes that "there is not an intelligent person in Rome who is not perfectly convinced that Martin has spoken the truth in most things; but good men dissemble from dread of the tyrant, and bad men are enraged, because they are forced to hear the truth;" at another point he comments that Luther is "looked upon as a greater enemy to us than the Turk."

Indexed, 266 pages. 

(Rare bound photocopy) $14.99 (US funds)

(Hardcover photocopy) $24.00 (US funds)

This book is also available on Protestant Bookshelf CD volume 23 (3 for 1 CD SUPER SALE) at: Protestant Bookshelf CDs, 3 for 1 CD Super Sale for a Limited Time, Rare Protestant, Reformation, Puritan, Covenanter, Presbyterian and Baptist Books in PDF, MP3 and video


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## VirginiaHuguenot (Oct 15, 2008)

Here is a 19th century work which is worth reading.

Life and Writings of Juán de Valdés ... - Google Book Search


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