What were the causes of the German Reformation?

Germany – The Reformation, 1517-63

In this course, Professor Beat Kümin (University of Warwick) explores the German Reformation. He begins by looking at the causes of the Reformation, before thinking about the role of Martin Luther himself, wider socio-cultural consequences, the reaction of the Catholic Church in response to the Protestant movement, and finally the impact of the Reformation on Europe today.

What were the causes of the German Reformation?

In this module, we explore the causes of the German Reformation, thinking in particular about the religious, political and social reasons for change. As we move through the module, we consider the shortcomings of many members of the clergy, the emerging anti-Roman sentiment within several regions of the Holy Roman Empire, and the importance of contemporary movements such as Humanism and of new technologies such as the printing press.

References:
- Th. Brady et. al. (eds.), German History in Documents and Images: 1500-1648 (2009)
- G. Strauss (ed.), Manifestations of Discontent … on the Eve of the Reformation (1971)
- Peter Blickle, ‘Communal Reformation and peasant piety: The Peasant Reformation and its late medieval origins’, in Central European History 20 (1987)
- Bernd Moeller, Imperial Cities and the Reformation: Three Essays (1972)
- Berndt Hamm, The Reformation of Faith in the Context of Late Medieval Theology and Piety (2004)