Priestly Resistance to Early Reformation in Germany. By Jourden Travis Moger. [Religious Cultures in Early Modern World, No. 15.] (Brookfield, VT: Pickering & Chatto. 2014. Pp. xii, 205. $99.00. ISBN 978-1-848-93454-2.)In this study Moger offers a new view of Reformation-from bottom up, as it were. The result is a view of history of Reformation in Frankfurt am Main less influenced by traditional thinking of Evangelical Church. Just as Martin Luther's teachings were influenced by his pervading faith in established order, so most recent histories up to Sigrid Jahns have concentrated on role of state. Moger is less interested in prominent theologians of time (Johannes Dietenberger, Johannes Cochlaeus, and Friedrich Nausea were active in Frankfurt) and more in what he calls the losers in history, here embodied in Wolfgang Konigstein, a simple priest clinging to his faith in troubled times, whose diary provides basis for this study.In first part of his book (chapters 1 and 2) author provides a remarkably thorough and precise picture of Konigstein's world, origins, and times. Chapter 1 is dedicated to political, economic, social, and religious structures in Frankfurt. Chapter 2 describes Liebfrauenstift (Foundation of Our Lady), Konigstein's institutional and religious home.The main body of study (chapters 3 to 5) chronicles development of Reformation in Frankfurt and reaction of Catholics to this development. Moger is critical of depiction of social movement of 1525, which had also reached Frankfurt, as a revolution (by Peter Blickle and Hans Rosenberg, for example); he characterizes results of this movement in Frankfurt as, in general, a positive development that was successful in three ways; there was no loss of blood and no punishment.The summary in chapter 6 views cultural impact of Reformation as viewed through Konigstein's eyes.Possibly most surprising facet of this investigation is author's view that Reformation seems to have brought about no fundamental changes in political, economic, or social structures of Reichstadt (imperial city). The old established oligarchies, consisting of patrician families and guild masters, retained their former influence and privileges. The economic structures of city, based largely on two Reichsmessen (imperial fairs), and general economic conservatism of oligarchy resulted in a slow transition to Reformation. The city retained its privileged place at side of emperor and even became official city for coronations after 1561. Change came about chiefly in sociocultural structures of city: founding of Allgemeine Almosenkasten (common alms chest); abolishing many church holidays, fasting, and many processions; new forms of Rites of Passage; and instituting changes in role of women (such as emphasizing their status as wives and mothers). …