First published 2004
The Reformation fractured Christianity and transformed Europe through violent religious upheaval. MacCulloch examines how theological disputes became political battles that consumed the continent for generations. He traces the movement from Luther's initial protests through the Catholic Counter-Reformation, following key figures like the radical Loyola, the conflicted Cranmer, and the powerful Philip II. The narrative spans from German universities to Spanish courts, from English parishes to New World missions. MacCulloch shows how these religious conflicts reached beyond church walls into bedrooms and marketplaces, altering fundamental beliefs about marriage, death, and the sacred. His account reveals how ordinary people navigated these changes as traditional certainties crumbled around them. The book demonstrates how sixteenth-century religious battles created the foundations of modern European culture and politics.
Genres: history, religion, non-fiction, academic
Vibes: thought-provoking
Tropes: historical-fiction
Setting: Germany, Spain, England, New World
Period: 16th Century
832 pages · Paperback · Penguin Books Ltd