How the English Reformation was Named analyses the shifting semantics of 'reformation' in England between the fifteenth and seventeenth centuries. Originally denoting the intended aim of church councils, 'reformation' was subsequently redefined to denote violent revolt, and ultimately a series of past episodes in religious history. But despite referring to sixteenth-century religious change, the proper noun 'English Reformation' entered the historical lexicon only during the British civil wars of the 1640s. Anglican apologists coined this term to defend the Church of England against proponents of the Scottish Reformation, an event that contemporaries singled out for its violence and illegality. Using their neologism to denote select events from the mid-Tudor era, Anglicans crafted a historical narrative that enabled them to present a pristine vision of the English past, one that endeavoured to preserve amidst civil war, regicide, and political oppression. With the restoration of the monarchy and the Church of England in 1660, apologetic narrative became historiographical habit and, eventually, historical certainty.

About the Author
Benjamin M. Guyer earned his doctorate with Honours at the University of Kansas in 2016 under the supervision of Jonathan Clark. A lecturer in the Department of History and Philosophy at the University of Tennessee at Martin, he has published multiple essays and is co-editor of two books.

Reviews
This is a thought provoking first book which will reignite conversations about the relationship between language and history. * Alexandra Walsham, Journal of Ecclesiastical History *
Guyer has made a significant contribution to the field of Reformation studies and its evolving historiography. * Robert E. Scully S.J, British Catholic History *
A smashingly successful analysis of the religious changes in late medieval and early modern England that commonly and conveniently are called "the English Reformation". * Thomas A. Fudge, University of New England, Journal of Religious History *
The best traditions of faithful learning are brought forward with good energy here in ways that would make his [Benjamin Guyer] predecessors Booty, Collinson, Lake, Marshall, and Ozment proud. * Richard Mammana, founder of anglicanhistory.org, Medium *
Guyer's How the English Reformation was Named is an insightful reminder that history is rarely as simple as our inherited narratives might lead us to believe * James Clark, The North American Anglican *
This study offers a range of valuable insights into the Reformation era and the English Reformation in particular...Guyer has made a significant contribution to the field of Reformation studies and its evolving historiography. * Robert E. Scully S.J., British Catholic History *
Guyer prompts us to think critically and carefully about the terms upon which we habitually rely and reminds us that the process of naming historical events is not neutral. To understand this inheritance is better to understand the religious upheavals of the early modern period and their treatment at the hands of generations of historians. * Harriet Lyon, University of Cambridge *
Guyer turns a useful contribution to church history into a guide to sixteenth- and seventeenth-century Protestant sources. * D.G. Hart, teaches history at Hillsdale College and is author most recently of American Catholic: The Politics of Faith during The Cold War *
This book is sure to spark conversation amongst those interested in the English Reformation and its legacy. * Hilary Bogert-Winker, Anglican and Episcopal History *
The book nevertheless presents a good deal of new information and posits an interesting case for where the idea of the English Reformation as we know it today came from. * Ben Lowe, Church History *
This is a thought-provoking first book which will reignite conversations about the relationship between language and history. * Alexandra Walsham, Journal Of Ecclesiastical History *



Book Information
ISBN 9780192865724
Author Benjamin M. Guyer
Format Hardback
Page Count 236
Imprint Oxford University Press
Publisher Oxford University Press
Weight(grams) 516g
Dimensions(mm) 240mm * 161mm * 18mm