This little gem of a book is an easy read, a conversation exploring Christ’s person and work.
It provides insight into one of the many Continental Protestant Reformers not nearly as well known as Jean Calvin. Petrus Dathenus was a Flemish monk in the early sixteenth century. He watched his fellow monks burned alive at the stake for embracing the Reformation yet nevertheless adopted their views.
Although originally from the Low Countries, he was a typical participant in the International Reformed movement, traveling to England and the Palatinate serving as a pastor to refugee congregations.
The book is a dialogue between Dathenus and a woman named Elizabeth (Elizabeth de Grave). It focuses on the Reformed doctrine of forensic justification (Christ keeps the law in your place, pays for you failure on the cross, and credits you with his perfect merits).
The dialogue format was a form of classical literature frequently adopted in the Renaissance for religious matters. The exchange between an ecclesiastical leader and a woman, who obviously demonstrates a broad learning, deep familiarity with the Bible, and a knack for accepting the Reformed doctrines, is also not atypical. Indeed, such women converted many powerful individuals who later became Reformed leaders and they often funded Reformed works.
The conversation draws upon the Heidelberg Catechism, not unexpected given Dathenus’s time in the Palatine under Frederick III (who commissioned the Catechism) and the fact that Dathenus translated it into Dutch.
The 80-page book is available for under ten dollars from vendors such as Amazon.com.
Recent Comments
Frequently Asked Questions
Choosing a Religion
Choosing a Church
Taking Action
See all questions »
Podcast Feeds
Sinners & Saints
Subscribe with RSS or iTunes
Rev. Movses Janbazian
Subscribe with RSS or iTunes
Rev. Adam Kaloostian
Subscribe with RSS or iTunes
Rev. Tom Morrison
Subscribe with RSS or iTunes
All posts
Subscribe with RSS or iTunes
All comments
Subscribe with RSS