European Reformations

This narrative description and analysis of the European Reformations of the sixteenth century begins with a chapter on the history and historiography of Reformation scholarship and concludes with an extended reflection on the Reformations' religious, social, and cultural legacies. The storyline sets the initia Reformationisin the context of late medieval social, economic, and religious crises, and traces its differentiation through a series of internal and external crises into various Reformation movements which acquired specificity through confessionalization.

The conceptual interpretive framework is that of intellectual and religious history. Throughout the text the complementarity of events and structures, ideas and social forces, theology and popular religion are woven into the accounts of the reforming movements and their leaders. Along with textbook coverage of the dialectical relationship of the Reformations and early modern culture, attention is given to the Reformation's impact on attitudes and legislation concerning social welfare, education, toleration, women and the family, and Jews.

The text is supplemented by twenty illustrations, maps, genealogies, a chronology, and bibliography.

This narrative description and analysis of the European Reformations of the sixteenth century begins with a chapter on the history and historiography of Reformation scholarship and concludes with an extended reflection on the Reformations' religious, social, and cultural legacies. The storyline sets the initia Reformationis in the context of late medieval social, economic, and religious crises, and traces its differentiation through a series of internal and external crises into various Reformation movements which acquired specificity through confessionalization. The conceptual interpretive framework is that of intellectual and religious history. Throughout the text the complementarity of events and structures, ideas and social forces, theology and popular religion are woven into the accounts of the reforming movements and their leaders. Along with textbook coverage of the dialectical relationship of the Reformations and early modern culture, attention is given to the Reformation's impact on attitudes and legislation concerning social welfare, education, toleration, women and the family, and Jews. The text is supplemented by twenty illustrations, maps, genealogies, a chronology, and bibliography.

Includes bibliographical references (p. [408]-434) and index.

Carter Lindberg is Professor in the School of Theology at Boston University. He has researched and written widely on the Reformation Period.

Illustrations.

Preface.

Abbreviations.

1. History, Historiography, and Interpretations of the Reformations.

2. The Late Middle Ages: Threshold and Foothold of the Reformations.

3. The Dawn of a New Era.

4. Wait for No One: Implementation of Reforms in Wittenberg.

5. Fruits of the Fig Tree: Social Welfare and Education.

6. The Reformation of the Common Man.

7. The Swiss Connection: Zwingli and the Reformation in Zuerich.

8. The Sheep against the Shepherds: The Radical Reformations.

9. Augsburg 1530 to Augsburg 1555: Reforms and Politics.

10. 'The Most Perfect School of Christ': The Genevan Reformation.

11. Refuge in the Shadow of God's Wings: The Reformation in France.

12. The Blood of the Martyrs: The Reformation in the Netherlands.

13. The Reformations in England and Scotland.

14. Catholic Renewal and the Counter-Reformation.

15. Legacies of the Reformations.

Chronology.

Genealogies.

Maps.

Glossary.

Appendix: Aids to Reformation Studies.

Bibliography.

Index.