Rock and Sand: An Orthodox Appraisal of the Protestant Reformers and Their Teachings

Excellent and very readable.

First, this is a very well done book, simply from the perspective of quality. As another reviewer pointed out, the look and feel of the book is excellent and the publisher should be commended for it.Second, the content is an absolute treasure trove of insight into the Reformation, which I would argue must be understood by any Orthodox Christian wishing to engage with Protestants of any form. We live in a world birthed by many facets of these historical events, and nearly every church in America owes much of its intellectual roots to the efforts of Luther, Zwingli, Calvin, and the other major actors of the 16th century.But herein exists the irony: most Protestants actually know very little about the Reformation, and only pay lip service to it as an event. This is why Archpriest Trenham's book is so important; it shows, through careful research, what the Reformers actually believed, not just what modern "bible churches" think they stood for.For example, do most modern, Western Christians know that Martin Luther "taught the importance of making the sign of the Cross" or that "advocated for a yearly auricular confession in the sanctuary...employed written prayers and a structured liturgy...believed in and taught the perpetual virginity of the Most Holy Virgin Mary, the Theotokos... [and] completely rejected the idea of an invisible church as it is so commonly embraced by Protestants today"? Do they realize that he advocated for infant baptism, rejected the idea that Scripture showed a return of the Jewish people to the "Holy Land" was prophesied, and defended iconography?Having read 5 different books on the Reformation in the last 6 months (in addition to other readings over the years), I can confidently say that this is one of the better ones out there, and goes a long way towards bridging a gap between the Reformed Christians and The Orthodox Church, as it does not just discount everything they taught, but also points out where they were right. This is highly important, as we should always strive to do the same whenever possible.I highly recommend this book.

Great read Fr Josiah truly articulates the Protestant reforms well and makes it captivating I could barely put this book down. I’m now more aware of the history and much more interested in pursuing the faith through orthodoxy. He is Risen.

Like Father Trenham, I was raised Presbyterian, and am only now learning about the history of the Orthodox Church. While not yet finished with this book, I can tell you that if this subject matter interests you — theologically or historically — it is well worth the read. The facts are clear and concise, the material is well written and well edited, and the actual physical construction of the book itself is superb. I almost didn’t purchase this book due to the high price tag, but having held it in my hands and read a good bit of it, I can now say that I’m grateful that I did. Well worth it on all fronts!

I’m terms of theology and doctrine this is a solid choice written by Josiah Trenham, he addresses Protestant and Catholic theology, their shortcomings and faults and arguments against various heresies, would recommend.

THIS BOOK IS SO AMAZING and it FILLS IN THE GAPS of all the things that most protestant Christian "REFORMED" types WILL NOT TELL YOU. I am a Reformed Presbyterian and I AM NOT ORTHODOX of any kind, YET, but i have been STRONGLY CONSIDERING Eastern Orthodoxy after having read some in THIS ONE BOOK ALONE.i am only on the 4th chapter covering Ulrich Zwingli and already i have seen all the many MANY human (SINNER) flaws of every reformer this book has covered up to that point. I USED to be a TOTAL FANBOY of MARTIN LUTHER but WOW WOW WOW!!!!!!!!!!!! NOT ANYMORE (or not such a great fan anymore -- tho i still love a lot of what he did, i now also hate a lot of other things he either DID do or DID NOT do.... sigh).I am about to embark upon the chapter covering John Calvin and while i have not fully read those chapters yet, i have skimmed them in anticipation and IT IS NOT LOOKING GOOD!!!!THIS BOOK TELLS TRUTH AND DOES NOT MINCE WORDS NOR IGNORE or PASS OVER the bad things or flaws in each of the Reformers' lives as is so often done by most "Reformed" protestant review writers or christians who follow Reformed Theology.

Fr. Trenham's book is not exhaustive, but it's a highly engaging overview that pulls no punches. The book covers the magisterial reformation as well as the Anabaptists, the Council of Trent, and even the modern American evangelical movement. Although brief, I felt that no stones were left uncovered. His chapter on Orthodox objections to main Protestant doctrines (sola scriptura, the filioque, soteriology, ecclesiology) is a gem that should be studied by all Protestant catechumens.Side note: the paperback edition is my favorite style of paperback; *high quality* paper with marginal section headers.Highly recommended for Orthodox and inquirers alike.

Fr. Trenham delivers a very careful and well-researched set of appraisals leveraging many good sources that are not restricted to the standard Orthodox Church library. At times the language is too advanced for more casual readers occasionally requiring sidetracks to the dictionary and other references since these advanced words/terms are not always defined for non-Orthodox readers. The various criticisms of the Protestant views and their early advocates (Luther, Calvin, etc.) are well delivered, up to date and very 'politely' presented. The apologetics for defending Orthodox views against the Protestant views are not as strong as they could be since this work was not meant as a bulwark. So, if you want a strong theological and apologetic source based strictly on very conservative Orthodox church views, this may not be your best choice, but it a superb choice for acquiring a strong historical background of the early Protestant Reformation efforts and their impacts on the Catholic and Orthodox church.

The book came 1 week before expected arrival, which was great. The information given in the book is very good and easy to understand. I was very surprised by many things of the reformers, that you don’t hear here in Germany. The book is definitely recommendable!

Very expensive “new” book in really poor condition.