I bought the hardcover and highly recommend going hardcover for this work! It is a beautiful book, well printed, well bound -- a physical object that testifies to the critical importance of God being made man in the person of Christ. In this mortal coil, the physical is real to us, so Christ needed to be made man, die, be buried and rise “in the flesh", as true man and true God.
As the Risen Saviour, he lives and comes to us as a resurrected perfected body and blood that eats, and drinks yet can walk through walls and be a real presence at multiple communion tables where that resurrected body can nourish our weak souls.
The communion table is where our physical temporary selves connect with the eternal. Our current reality is physical; historical liturgical Christianity teaches we must physically connect with the eternal through regular participation in the Body and Blood of Christ in corporate worship to maintain our connection to “the vine” (Christ), lest we become dead branches to be thrown into the fire.
If you have any faith, or no faith, this is a wonderful work, as history alone. Coming from a Baptist tradition, this book shows the issues that led to the Reformation and attaches them to the Bible and the fathers of the Christian Church Universal -- based on the FAITH of Peter, rather than the person of Peter, and also deals with the further thinking that rejects infant baptism, confession and Holy Communion.
To be human is having a proud nature that wants to deny God and assert ourselves to be God. The Reformation/Enlightenment is a critical point in our history, one that everyone is well served to have a deep an understanding of, since it is of eternal significance.
The Reformation is the point at which the “Divine Right of Kings”, with its intimate connection of Church and State was broken. From earliest Christianity, “the Church” (assumed to be the Roman Church), was the only path to eternal life. Luther’s theology of “Grace alone, by faith alone, in Christ Alone” was intended to reform the Catholic Church, but sadly resulted in the explosion of Christianity to thousands of denominations.
The ability to love even our enemies as commanded by Christ is impossible for us, thus practicing Liturgical Christians live a life of daily repentance, pleading the blood of Christ to forgive our frail sinful flesh.
Satan corrupted the Catholic church. It was obvious in Luther’s time, and the abuse of children by priests sadly reminded us. Unfortunately, corruption is true of even the most pious believer and every church. The old Adam of original sin is not completely buried until we are.
So. we and our churches are constantly tempted to be saved by "the church", "our decision for Christ", "our works", "our love", “the truth of our theology, etc.
Even if you are certain, you will never be a Christen of any sort, or just certain you will never be a Catholic, Lutheran, Baptist, E-Free, Mormon, or any of the approximately 40k denominations claiming to be Christian, this book will at least make you much more aware of what it is that you are not agreeing with!
It seems the least you could do for your eternal soul!