Heretics and Believers cover art

Heretics and Believers

A History of the English Reformation

Preview

£0.00 for first 30 days

Try for £0.00
Thousands of incredible audiobooks and podcasts to take wherever you go.
Immerse yourself in a world of storytelling with the Plus Catalogue - unlimited listening to thousands of select audiobooks, podcasts and Audible Originals.
£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Heretics and Believers

By: Peter Marshall
Narrated by: Napoleon Ryan
Try for £0.00

£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically.

Buy Now for £29.99

Buy Now for £29.99

Confirm Purchase
Pay using card ending in
By completing your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and authorise Audible to charge your designated card or any other card on file. Please see our Privacy Notice, Cookies Notice and Interest-based Ads Notice.
Cancel

About this listen

Centuries on, what the Reformation was and what it accomplished remain deeply contentious. Peter Marshall's sweeping new history argues that 16th-century England was a society neither desperate for nor allergic to change, but one open to ideas of "reform" in various competing guises. King Henry VIII wanted an orderly, uniform Reformation, but his actions opened a Pandora's Box from which pluralism and diversity flowed and rooted themselves in English life.

With sensitivity to individual experience as well as masterfully synthesizing historical and institutional developments, Marshall frames the perceptions and actions of people great and small, from monarchs and bishops to ordinary families and ecclesiastics, against a backdrop of profound change that altered the meanings of "religion" itself. This engaging history reveals what was really at stake in the overthrow of Catholic culture and the reshaping of the English Church.

©2017 Peter Marshall (P)2018 Tantor
16th Century Christianity Great Britain History England Royalty King Tudor English Reformation
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

Listeners also enjoyed...

Christianity cover art
Devil-Land cover art
Rescuing the Gospel cover art
Organic Outreach cover art
Rebel in the Ranks cover art
In Search of the Dark Ages cover art
Emblem of Faith Untouched cover art
The Making of Martin Luther cover art
John Wycliffe cover art
The Reformation cover art
Plagues upon the Earth cover art
The Dissolution of the Monasteries cover art
Liberty in the Things of God cover art
Hot Protestants cover art
Reformations cover art
Providence Lost cover art

What listeners say about Heretics and Believers

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    31
  • 4 Stars
    15
  • 3 Stars
    2
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    2
Performance
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    21
  • 4 Stars
    12
  • 3 Stars
    7
  • 2 Stars
    2
  • 1 Stars
    4
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    31
  • 4 Stars
    14
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    1

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Interesting listen

Having been taught by Peter Marshall at university I was happy to enjoy more of his thought provoking insights on his specialist topic. The narration is arguably somewhat annoying but each to their own, I suppose.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

The best book on the subject I have read.

I have read several books on the subject of the Reformation, and this one is by far the best. The author presents the facts, and the characters involved, in a completely impartial light - very unusual when it comes to this particular subject matter. The story is told with wry humour, perfect in the context of our very particularly English Reformation. I didn't want this thought provoking book to end. The parallels with our modern post-EU Referendum society are striking. Napoleon Ryan's narration is perfect and makes very easy listening.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

11 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Interesting audible book

Very interesting and informative. Struggled with the narrator. Liked how he changed his tone when referring to referenced narrative. Disliked his overall/general narration. Sorry to say he sounded like he was computer-generated.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A Superb Account of a Pivotal Time Within English History!

This is a complex issue that requires a steady hand on the rudder if the terrain is to be successfully navigated through. There is no quick fix as each chapter must be approached with dedication and respect. King Henry VIII not only changed England through his Reforms - he changed the world and the manner in which people think. Ultimately, the Reformation not only ended Absolute Monarchy in the UK (and caused the abolition of State Religion for a time) - but even influenced the Catholic Church it opposed! And yet genuine social upheaval is rarely bloodless (Henry VIII executed around 70,000 during his reign) as even today the consequences of the Reformation are still playing out in British culture and world affairs. Indeed, the Reformation led directly to the English Civil Wars of the 1640s which saw the middle classes sieze control of the means of production. A groundbreaking book of outstanding proportions. Logically thought out and sensitively handled. A joy to listen to.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

A very interesting book ruined by a terrible narrator

I would suggest the book should be withdrawn and be re recorded by a less judgmental narrator. The tone he takes when quoting very learned and Godly men from this period is condescending and pathetic.
He clearly has a biase against these people and shouldn’t be used to narrate books on this subject.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Narration is heavy going but book is excellent!

The book is excellent, but the narrator sounds like an old fashioned film trailer, bassey and overly dramatic, make him hard to listen to.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Balanced

Very fair review of a contentious period of British history, great detail on an ever changing religious and political atmosphere.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent

Informative, consistent, credible and delivering a powerful insight to the critical period of English history.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Insightful chronicle of Momentous Change

It will be hard to improve on this general history of this foundational change in English society.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Dreadful narration

Narration so poor I had to give up. Tortured vowels, emulating Donald Sinden, very actorly with little sense of what was being conveyed.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

4 people found this helpful