Summary: This episode is titled, “Wars of Religion” In our review of the Reformation, we began with a look at its roots and the long cry for reform that had been heard in the Roman church. We saw its genesis in Germany with Martin Luther & Philip Melanchthon, its impact on Switzerland with Zwingli & later with the Frenchman John Calvin. John Knox carried it to his native Scotland & Thomas Cranmer led it in England. We’ve taken a look at the Roman Catholic response the Reformation in what’s called the Counter-Reformation, but probably ought to be labelled the Catholic Reformation. We briefly considered the Council of Trent where the Roman Church affirmed its perspective on many of the issues raised by the Protestants and for the first time a clear line was set, marking the differences in theology between the 2 groups. We saw the Jesuits, the learned shock troops of the Roman Church sent out on both mission and to counter the impact of the Reformation in many regions of Europe being swung toward the Protestant camp. (more…)
