Howard's Double Bind: Protestant Reformation and Pluralism
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Abstract
This paper offers a brief critical review of R. Howard's 2005 article "The Double Bind of the Protestant Reformation: The Birth of Fundamentalism and the Necessity of Pluralism," published in the Journal of Church and State. The review summarizes Howard's central argument — that the shift of religious authority from Latin-speaking priests to vernacular printed texts simultaneously created the fundamentalist impulse and the pluralism that impulse seeks to suppress. The reviewer contextualizes Howard's thesis through Martin Luther's use of the printing press, comments on the article's verbose but logically sustained argument, and assesses its value as a source for further discussion on religion, reformation, and dogma.
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What makes this paper effective
The review accurately identifies and restates Howard's central thesis, demonstrating that the student engaged closely with the source text rather than summarizing superficially.
The student acknowledges the complexity of the argument and explains how understanding key terminology helps clarify what initially appears confusing — a sign of genuine critical engagement.
The paper situates Howard's argument within a broader historical context by connecting it to Martin Luther and the printing press, grounding abstract claims in concrete historical events.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper demonstrates the technique of direct quotation followed by paraphrase and interpretation. The student quotes Howard's thesis verbatim, then unpacks it in plain language, explaining what "fundamentalist impulse" and "necessity of pluralism" mean in context. This move — quote, then explain — is a foundational skill in academic writing and critical review.
Structure breakdown
The paper follows a straightforward review structure: it opens by identifying the source and its publication venue, presents Howard's thesis with a direct quotation, contextualizes the argument historically, and closes with an evaluative judgment of the article's usefulness. The bibliography follows APA format. The paper is brief, consistent with a short critical response or article review assignment at the undergraduate level.
Introduction to Howard's Argument
R. Howard's article "The Double Blind of the Protestant Reformation: The Birth of Fundamentalism and the Necessity of Pluralism" presents a useful and interesting argument. The article appears in the Journal of Church and State, a periodical directed at those with interests in religious and political issues. Howard's thesis is slightly confusing at first glance, but it becomes clearer as the article progresses.
The Double Bind: Fundamentalism and Pluralism
Howard argues "that the movement of authority from the sacred Latin on the tongues of priests to the printed pages in the European vernaculars simultaneously generated the fundamentalist impulse and the necessity of the pluralism that this impulse seeks to constrain" (p. 1). This complicated argument is simplified by understanding the particular words that carry more than one meaning. Understanding that this article is written by a man of Christian faith also helps give context to his position. The fundamentalist impulse being described is, in essence, the individual and relative interpretation of the written word of the Bible as transferred to a broader readership.
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The Role of the Printing Press and Martin Luther · 80 words
"Luther's use of print technology and religious change"
Evaluating the Article's Strengths and Limitations · 90 words
"Assessment of the article's academic value and usefulness"