God Hovered Over the Waters

Book excerpt: On March 11, 2011, from deep within the earth's crust, enormous forces drove tectonic plates toward over another. In the collision, one plate riding over the other displaced massive amounts of water. The displaced water began racing toward the Japanese shoreline, each mile exponentially increasing in its fury. Coming ashore in Japan, the tsunami swept aside everything in its path as if they were small toys. In sixteenth century Europe, there also was a collision of changing environmental, technological, educational, and political forces. Like the energy created by colliding tectonic plates in 2011, these surging and chaotic waters emerged from within the depths of human experiences and spiritual yearnings. Through the guiding hands of the Holy Spirit, these waters swept up the Reformation movement, emptying it into theological lakes and streams across Europe. Therefore, to understand the Reformation movement, one needs to comprehend these varied forces that moved it into reality. The book further details the resulting contributions of the Reformation movements within Germany, Switzerland, the British Isles, France, and the Netherlands. In conclusion, the author addresses the lasting legacy of the Reformation for contemporary society, and the means for a new congregational and governing body Reformation today.