Medieval Heresy: Popular Movements from the Gregorian Reform to the Reformation

Rating:
Summary: A Good Book to Have
Review: Lambert's book manages to cover a large amount of history in readable and helpful manner. It is a great introduction into the heresies of the medieval period.

This is really an introductory work - one comes to know the major heresies about at the time, as well as how the Church attempted to deal with the situation and how the secular governments reacted. For those of us trying to get a start into the field, this book is most helpful. Not only does it give you an overview of the topic, but the amount of citation is extremely useful for further study. The short glossary is also helpful in keeping straight the various groups being mentioned.

Another benefit of this work is how it manages to avoid falling into an unfortunately typical problem - the genuflecting to heresy. While some historians tend to fall into seeing the heretics as wonderful, creative, populist bodies cruelly put down by the oppressive, corrupt, arrogant, mean, etc., etc. Church, Lambert thankfully takes a much more distanced and objective look at the matter. He relates who, what, when, where, and offers some discussion on why, without falling into the worship of the "wretched of the earth."

If there would be any critique, it would be the lack of a time table to keep the various groups organized in time (for the benefit of the reader). But, it doesn't really warrant a star marked off (oh, if only one could put in four and a half stars). This work is readable and easily accessable. Anyone interested in this topic or time period should pick this book up, whether academic or interested layperson. Highly recommended.

Rating:
Summary: Readable Overview of Heretical Theology
Review: Lambert's _Medieval Heresy_ provides a surprisingly readable overview of the major European heretical movements of the Middle Ages. Readers interested in Church history and the development of Catholic and Protestant theology will find useful insights. Historical heresies also have a surprising resonance with modern charismatic cults.
To cover the vast array of major heretical movements over several centuries, the book assumes a basic grounding in medieval history and culture. It is readable without such a grounding, but may be more confusing.
A short glossary of heretics is provided. A timeline of major events would have been useful.