EarthDiverse

• “Storming Heaven” is a seminar on the history of Christianity in the West, roughly between 1517 and 1530. It explores how western or "Latin" Christendom, a geographic sphere of perceived spiritual unity and political diversity, was transformed into a collection of nations defined by religious differences, political competition, social upheaval and military conflict.

• The central questions of this seminar focus on how a late medieval religious dispute in just one small segment of the globe forever altered our notions of the relationship between God and humankind, individuals to each other, and individuals to nation states.

• As this is a very short course, the period under consideration has been contracted to focus on the earliest stage of the Reformation period of European history. Our geographic scope will focus on the German speaking areas of Holy Roman Empire, with forays into Switzerland and the Netherlands.

•(Future courses will cover the English Reformation, John Calvin and the French Reformation, The Catholic and Counter Reformations, and the Wars of Religion – all of which trace at least a good portion of their origins to the events covered in this course.)

•In addition to examining the broader historical implications of religious change, our course will also carefully examine the theologies and religious programs of Martin Luther and other reformers, as well as those of so-called radicals such as revolting peasants, peaceful Anabaptists, and the short-lived, murderous and polygamous kingdom of Müntzer. We will also examine how the Reformation spread in an era without newspapers or twitter, and how the Roman Catholic Church responded to the significant challenges to its doctrines and authority brought about during this tumultuous era.