Permanent Revolution
By James Simpson
Belknap, 464pp, £25.95/$35
The Reformation is often depicted as the cradle of many excellent ideas: the opening up of Scripture to the masses, with wonderful-sounding terms such as the priesthood of all believers, and the rejection of deep-seated assumptions. With a hop, skip and a jump we are off down what James Simpson calls “corridor liberty”. We are expected to thank the Reformation for getting us started on the road towards liberty of conscience, democracy, toleration and all the rest.
