Renaissance, Reform, and Religious Wars

(3 Credit Hours) · Undergraduate

In the fifteenth through seventeenth centuries, Europe experienced massive changes with enduring effects. First Italians, then the rest of Europe made a concerted effort to revive an idealized classical past, making innovations and discoveries in the process. At roughly the same time, many people became dissatisfied with the Catholic Church, drawing attention to institutional hypocrisy and failures of pastoral care, eventually also disagreeing with its theology and interpretation of Scripture. Finally, in the aftermath of religious schism came religious war, as Catholics and Protestants battled not only over theological difference but also on political grounds, using religion as a cover. By examining these three key movements or events, we can trace some connections to modernity and see how the early modern period was dramatically changed by intellectual, social, and political shifts. We will read key primary sources that illuminate the period along with guiding secondary texts, and by the end of the module you will have a greater understanding of a period of critical importance in European history and be able to confidently engage with a range of sources for historical study.