The Renaissance was interrupted by a reactionary religious movement—the Reformation—which attempted to return Europe to Dark Age asceticism and mysticism.

Martin Luther ignited the Reformation, but he was neither the first nor the only thinker to propose reforming the Catholic Church. This course examines why and how Luther succeeded where others had “failed.” It compares the Protestant Reformation in Germany—essentially a religious phenomenon—with the Anglican Reformation—a political one. Together, these schisms broke the Catholic Church’s hold on Europe and unleashed centuries of religious war.

Covering events from 1517 to 1648, this course traces the Reformation from its scholastic roots, through the story of Martin Luther, to the bloodshed that followed. It examines the practical consequences of religious conflict, the lasting effects of these disputes and the inevitability of force among the faithful. (This course continues Mr. Lewis’s series on European history; prior courses are not a prerequisite.)