Peter Martyr Vermigli and the European Reformations: Semper Reformanda (review)

Frank James's collection of essays on Peter Martyr Vermigli (1499-1562) places the thought of the Italian reformer within the plurality of European reformations. It provides a helpful understanding of Martyr vis-à-vis Protestant and Catholic reform, as well as more general movements such as humanism, scholasticism, and canon law revision. The essays, drawn primarily from presentations given at the Sixteenth Century Studies Conference of 1999, demonstrate the increasing ability of scholars to move beyond arguing that Martyr was important to concrete examples of how he was important for enduring intellectual, theological, and cultural trajectories.

In the introduction, James's biographical sketch highlights Martyr's "peripatetic" life of exile and suggests that his exposure to the varied "political, social and ecclesiastical" concerns of his fellow reformers often caused him to rethink his theology: hence the title's maxim, semper reformanda (xxiii). James makes the alluring suggestion that while Martyr never "compromised on his core theological values," he was able to construct "different theological applications" (xxxiii). Unfortunately, the ensuing essays do not develop this assertion sufficiently. Yet when one reads from the vantage point suggested by James, the essays help one identify the complexities of Martyr's experiences and the nature of his contextualized theology.

The editor's hand is evident in the arrangement of the material. Part 1, "Reformers in Community," does not explore what it means for Martyr to do theology "in community" but primarily clarifies Martyr's professional relationships. Most of the contributors in this section argue that, despite scholarship that highlights discontinuity among Martyr and other Continental theologians, Martyr's relationships with Zanchi, Bucer, Bullinger, and Calvin were affectionate and ultimately concordant. Though it is rarely pioneering, part 1 provides background for what follows.

Part 2, "Biblical and Theological Reflections," contains the most innovative gems of the collection. Douglas Shantz examines Martyr's use of patristic sources. Preferring qualitative to quantitative evidence, he shows that "Vermigli relied on the Fathers primarily to make his own points" (123) and treated them as inferior conversation partners. John Thomson's agile investigation into Martyr's view of women concedes Martyr's strongly patriarchal perspective, but notes that he recognized structural disadvantages for women and respected the offices of queen and prophetess. Dan Shute addresses Martyr's treatment of Romans 9-11 and suggests that Martyr contributed to the rise of philo-Semitism and millennialism in English Puritanism. Shute's essay is important for understanding the history of eschatological ideas that eventually affected North American evangelicalism. Norman Klassen provides a crossdisciplinary approach to Martyr's Aristotelian humanism, showing how in some circles Aristotle and the humanist ethos amalgamated. Klassen applies insights from contemporary cultural and literary theory to our understanding of humanism (including "biblical" humanism) and contends that studies of Renaissance and Reformation figures like Martyr should be understood within their "larger cultural movements" (212).

Part 3, "Church and Reform," contains essays related to diverse practical issues, including Martyr's treatment of the Eucharist, canon law, marriage, politics, and ecclesiology. Joseph McClelland's essay is noteworthy since it develops an understanding of the various degrees of evangelical reform within Martyr's Italy and explores the options of duplicity (Nicodemism), exile, and martyrdom. Part 3 presents striking evidence that, while Martyr may have reformulated finer points of doctrine as he roamed Europe, he remained committed to social structures that provided what essayist Torrance Kirby calls "the means for securing the stability and unity of all matters concerning 'outward discipline'" (302).

As an editor, James does not micromanage. Names and terms are inconsistent from essay to essay. Some Latin quotations remain untranslated; some quotations are translated with the original Latin in the footnotes; and some footnotes become excessive (as on p. 91). Fortunately, the contributors' solid scholarship renders any irregularities harmless.

Overall, the collection nicely documents a transition in Martyr scholarship. It includes essays reminiscent of...