Module 4: Reactions to Reformation
Hi everyone, and welcome to the fourth module of the History of Christianity 2 Course. In this section, we'll be working through some reactions to the reformations that happened in Germany and Switzerland. This module will cover the movements that fall under the umbrella terms of the Radical Reformation
or the Anabaptists.
And it will cover the various movements of reform inside the Roman catholic church, including those reactions done specifically in response to the Protestants.
This module will help you to understand the motivations, main ideas, and activities of these various movements, and the short and long-term results that came out of each of these separate movements.
This student will be exposed to various controversies and differing opinions of doctrines and practices. And the student will have opportunity to evaluate these ideas and actions and the lessons that can be learned from all of these various movements and their outcomes. This module will also aid the student to work through how the lessons learned can be applied in their own life and ministry.
Introductory Scenario
Imagine that you are leading a committee or board during a time of change in an organization. Some members of the board are zealous and are pushing hard for more changes to take place at a faster pace. Other members are cautious and resistant to more change, and are even arguing that some recent changes should be undone. How can you protect against going too far in either direction? How can you decide the proper speed and direction of needed changes? What standard will you use to determine the speed and direction of change? How can you help the other members of the board guard against imbalance either in too much or too little change? How can you bring all the board into unity about needed changes and the procedures to implement them? Please consider these questions and be watching for material that will help you answer them as you work through this module.
Module Objectives and Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this module, the student will:
- Describe the mindset, goals, and key leaders of the radical/Anabaptist Reformation.
- Understand the distinctive doctrines and practices of the radical/Anabaptist Reformation and how they differed from the Magisterial Reformation.
- Understand and describe the various approaches of the counter reformation, concentrating on the Council of Trent.
- Understand and evaluate the reasons behind the various examples of persecution during this period.
- Describe the lessons that can be learned from these responses to the Reformation, and how these lessons can be applied in current situations.
- Place the major events of the radical and counter reformations in a general chronology.
Instruction Guides
In this section, you'll find links to important instructional documents for this module. Click the following links to open each document. There is a set of instructions for individual study and a document for group study.
Textbook Content
In this section, you'll find a study guide for the textbook reading for module 4. And then you'll find the link to a practice quiz covering this textbook reading.
This section also contains a review quiz to test your understanding of the textbook material for this module. By clicking the banner below, you will be given a series of questions, in random order. The quiz will be different each time, so feel free to take it more than once.
Click the button next to the best answer for each question, or drag each term to its best definition. Then press the Submit
button at the bottom to see if your answers are correct.
Lecture Content
In this section, you will find the video lectures for the Reactions to the Reformation module. They are designed to be watched in order, but each video should make sense on its own. Click each banner to open access to each video. There are also links with each video if you prefer to watch on the Rumble or YouTube interface or download just the audio to listen offline.
Reviews
In this section, you will find the review slides from the course lectures for module 4. This is a convenient way to view and review the summaries for each lecture. Click the banner to open the slide show.
Click the prev.
and next
buttons (bottom right of the slide) to move through the slides. You can also click on any thumbnail to go directly to that slide.
Discussion/Reflection/Essay Questions
This section contains questions for further thought and discussion from Module 4. It is recommended that you take time to think through these issues in order to thoroughly grasp the significance and explore the application of the material you are learning. These questions can also be used as essay questions in a classroom setting exam. Below, you will find links to the Response and Application Reflection Instructions for Individuals, and the Response and Application Discussion Instructions for Groups. And you will find a link to the detailed question document for this module. Or Click the banner below to view the questions in a simplified format.
The following questions are for your thoughtful consideration and discussion:
- What was good and what was bad about the Radical Reformation? How does this apply in your life and ministry?
- What did you learn about how to bring about change correctly? What principles did you learn? What difference should this make?
- What was good and worthy of imitation in the Catholic Reformation? What was bad and should be avoided? How does this apply?
- How can you reform your own group well? What principles help? How can you apply it?
- How can you respond to outsiders well? What principles help? How can you apply it?
- What else did you learn? How does it apply?
(Optional) Timeline - Part 4
This section contains instructions for an optional Timeline activity to be constructed over all sixteen modules. Below is a link to the detailed instructions for this activity.
Step four of the Timeline should include the following information:
- Any significant events, ideas, and people from the radical reformation and the Anabaptists.
- Any significant events, ideas, and people from the Catholic reformation in Spain.
- Any significant events, ideas, and people from the Catholic counter reformation.
- Any significant writings from all of these movements, and the ideas, doctrines, and approaches which they represent, and the impact they had.
(Optional) Principles Chart - Part 4
This section contains instructions for an optional Principles Chart activity to be constructed over all sixteen modules. Below is a link to the detailed instructions for this activity.
Step four of the Principles chart will add any important principles noted from the radical reformation, the Catholic reformation in Spain, and the counter reformation, the influence these movements had, the reasons behind that influence, and how those principles can be applied.
It is suggested that the student begin this activity before watching the Guiding Principles
portion of the lecture. Then the student may supplement their work after learning additional insights from the Guiding Principles.
(Optional) Term Project Research
The student will begin locating relevant resources and researching about their chosen topic for their term project. The student should read the research of reputable historians (hopefully at least some writing from a faithful Christian worldview). But, as much as possible, the student should also read primary sources, to learn firsthand the views and experiences of the people involved in those things. The course textbook the course bibliography, the course lectures, and the primary resource reading lists are good places to start for finding quality resources. Below is a link to detailed instructions for the entire project.
Primary Source Reading
This section contains instructions and resources for the Primary Source Reading activity. The student should read a minimum of 10-20 pages from a primary resource or resources discussed in this module's lecture and write or discuss a brief response to their reading. Below is a link to detailed instructions for the Primary Source Reading, which contain a list of recommended resources, by module. And click the banner below to access a list of recommended resources with links to where they may be found.
The following is a list of the recommended primary sources for this module. This list contains links to the resources in print and/or online format. These links may change, so feel free to search for other sources for these same titles. In addition, please do not feel you are limited only to this list. Feel free to choose from any primary source from the period and topic covered in this module:
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A Reformation Reader: Primary Texts and Introductions,Print ISBN : 978-1506474694Online : archive.org
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Early Anabaptist Spirituality: Selected Writings,Print ISBN : 978-0809134755Online : archive.org
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The Christian and the Sword: An Anabaptist Manifesto of 1579,Print ISBN : 978-0874868791
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The Schleitheim Confession,Print ISBN : 978-0836118315, or 978-1573830997Online : apostles-creed.org, hiskingdom.us, anabaptists.org, or reformedontheweb.com
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Confessions of Faith in the Anabaptist Tradition: 1527-1660,Print ISBN : 978-0874862775Online : plough.com
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Later Writings of the Swiss Anabaptists: 1529-1608,Print ISBN : 978-0874862812Online : plough.com
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Spiritual and Anabaptist Writers,Print ISBN : 978-0664241506Online : archive.org
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On the Sword,Print ISBN : 978-1496174048
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The Writings of Balthasar Humbaier,Online : archive.org (Vol. 1-3), and archive.org (Vol. 4)
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Balthasar Hubmaier: Theologian of Anabaptism,Print ISBN : 978-0874862645
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The Complete Writings of Menno Simons,Print ISBN : 978-0836195224, or 978-1418142490Online : ccel.org (Vol. 1), ccel.org (Vol. 2), archive.org, or mennosimons.net
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The True Christian Faith,Print ISBN : 978-1663584250Online : mennosimons.net
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Interior Castle,Print ISBN : 978-0486461458, or 978-1935785293Online : ccel.org
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Dark Night of the Soul,Print ISBN : 978-1612034164, 978-1935785996, 978-0895552303, or 978-1629118499Online : ccel.org
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The Spiritual Exercises,Print ISBN : 978-0486486048, or 978-0852444047Online : ccel.org
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Index Librorum Prohibitorum [Index of Prohibited Books],Online : archive.org
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The Canons and Decrees of the Council of Trent,Print ISBN : 978-0895550743 978-1573830997
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The Documents of Vatican II,Print ISBN : 978-0814624517, 2940014350044, or 978-1685780135Online : vatican.va, ewtn.com, archive.org, or documentacatholicaomnia.eu
Review Quiz
This section is a link to a review quiz to test your understanding of the objective material for Module 4. By clicking the banner, you will be taken to a series of questions, in random order. Answer each question and then push the Submit
button to check your answers. Every question must be answered before you can submit the quiz. At the end, you will be shown your score for the entire quiz. The quiz will be different each time, so feel free to take it more than once. Click the banner to begin the quiz.
Here is a review quiz for the material covered in this module's lectures. Click the button next to the best answer for each question, or drag each term to its best definition. Then press the button at the bottom to see if your answers are correct.
Module Completed!
Congratulations, you have reached the end of the fourth module. I hope that you have found it rewarding and have noticed personal growth.
I encourage you to continue on the next module as soon as is convenient. The button below will take you to Module 5.
