The History of Christianity II: From the Reformation to the Modern Megachurch

Right in the pope's backyard, two men give very different yet powerful critiques of the church, years before the Reformation; examining these representative figures; Professor Worthen unpacks several themes running through Christianity.

Delving into the early Reformation, which begins with Martin Luther and his "95 Theses"; an outlaw to Catholic authorities of the time, Luther is also surprisingly conservative in many ways; reviewing his theology in the context of the 16th century.

Looking at thinkers who are more radical than Martin Luther; exploring the ideas of those who advance their own theological and political critiques of the church; considering Henry VIII's quarrel with Rome and the founding of the Church of England.

Continuing with the Protestant Reformation; meeting the most radical of rebels, the Anabaptists; based on the Bible alone, the Anabaptists want to cut ties completely between church and state; making them politically and theologically dangerous.

Protestants are not the only ones fighting to reform Christianity; Luther, Calvin, and others break from Rome; leaders within the Catholic Church push to consolidate the power of their ideas and institutions; surveying the founding of the Jesuits.

One key theme is the way religious motives are often inseparable from political and economic ambitions; nowhere is this more apparent than Spain in the 16th century; Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand join forces to create a unified Catholic nation.