A Brief History of the Reformation
Why did the Protestant Reformation happen? And why was it a success this time, when other people tried to do something similar before and failed? To understand the answers to these questions, we'll examine the world on the eve of the Reformation–not just in Western Europe, but all across the world. This is a story that cannot and should not be told without taking a close look at Martin Luther.
Course Syllabus
A Brief History of the 16th c. Reformation (Introduction)
In this first session we'll begin to ask three important questions about the figures of the 16 c. Reformation: (1) Who was it? (2) Why were they doing it? (3) Why did it work? We'll also define our terms.
The Story of the Reformation and Martin Luther
In this session we'll take a closer look at the role Martin Luther played in the Reformation and, among other questions, ask: "Why did this one German monk cause a Reformation?"
The Radical and Rural Reformation
In this session, we discuss the different types of reformation taking place at the same time, including the “Magisterial Reformation” and "Radical Reformation"
Tracing the Reformation Beyond Germany
In this final session we'll take a look at how the Reformation extends beyond Germany into the rest of Europe and the new world.
