A good “Companion” introduces one to classic texts in a field and to areas of current debate in scholarly literature. Apart from Richard Muller’s monumental Post-Reformation Reformed Dogmatics, there is no such volume for Reformed history and theology from the death of the second generation Reformers (1560s) to the mid-eighteenth century. Despite the heavy Brill price tag and a readability issue mentioned below, this Companion offers an excellent introduction to the study of Reformed Orthodoxy. It will help the reader assimilate the present state of research and offers a coherent picture of developments during this era. Read more»
By nature, we’re all looking for bargains, earthly and heavenly. Looks like a good deal to me.
As an alternative volume, you can order “Promissory Notes on the Treasury of Merits: Indulgences in Late Medieval Europe,” also in Brill’s Companions to the Christian Tradition series. It’s less than half the price of the Reformed Orthodoxy volume ($126.41 today at Amazon). You pays your money and you takes your chance.
Note, Jon Hogl”u”nd. On the above, T&T Clark now offers their dissertation series books as ebooks for $30. This would seem to be a happy compromise for such publishers.
Thanks!
Jon
Hi Jon,
Thanks for the review, the correction, and the info.
$277.00? I have often wondered at book pricing. Would it not sell far more copies even at textbook pricing? At $277.00 it is out of reach for this person as that is more than I spend on food for a month.
A text can be the best text ever written, but if few can afford it, few can be affected by it.
It’s not intended for individual buyers. It’s priced for libraries. You can get it via inter-library loan for next to nothing.
ILL is an option for many, but not for me personally as there are no ILL participating facilities within 45 miles that lend to the general public.
If I ever move back to DFW it would be a different story. Still a shame to see a book that could easy go in a church library get priced out of reach.
Brill books are not cheap (and contributors don’t get paid). They are intended for academic libraries.
No public libraries for 45 miles?
My regional public library system does not participate in ILL. I have a friend who is a librarian in the system and all he can say is it is budgetary and he cannot get ILL himself. The local universities (Shorter, West Georgia University and Berry College) require one be a student (understandably).
As for contributors not getting paid and still charging that amount, frankly it is ridiculous. I understand the publishing process and where costs are incurred including the additional costs for archival quality materials and library binding (I volunteered years ago doing rebinding of materials).
My complaint is not going to get Brill to change their pricing, but the pricing the is still making something less available and reducing their own profits by artificially limiting availability.