Wednesday, October 24 , 2007

Heinz Schilling: "The Reformation and the Rise of the Early Modern State"

First, read through the article in your packet; then, go back and type out answers to the following four questions, to serve as the basis of Wednesday's discussion (I'll be collecting them). You do not have to go overboard, but write enough to answer the question thorougly. If you have trouble answering a particular question, say so in your response.

1. The author begins with a large historical question: What might be the relationship between the development of Lutheranism in the sixteenth century and the atrocities of the Nazi regime in the twentieth? How does the author resolve this question by the end of the article?

2. What is the definition of confessionalism? What is the relationship between confessionalism and the building of state power?

3. How does Germany differ from other states in Europe (England, France) in the form that state-building took there?

4. What aspects of people's lives became subject to regulation by the combination of religious and state institutions? How did these institutions succeed in supporting one another?

Now for the textbook chapter. First, you should be familiar with the following names and terms:

• Charles V
• Edict of Worms
• Philip of Hesse
• Marburg colloquy
• Diet of Speyer (1526, then 1529)
• 1527 sack of Rome
• visitation process
• Diet of Augsburg, Augsburg Confession
• Schmalkaldic League; Schmalkaldic War
• Augsburg Interim
• Peace of Augsburg; cuius regio, eius religio

Questions:

• What was the limitation of freedom of conscience?
• What were the Protestants protesting?
• Why did Charles V have so much trouble stamping out the Reformation?
• Was Charles V working in good faith to achieve a reconciliation at the Diet of Augsburg?
• For what reason, and on what basis, did Luther come to abandon his stance regarding the use of force to defend the faith?
• What resistence did Charles encounter in his efforts to call a council?

Laurel Carrington carringt@stolaf.edu
Most recent update: October 22, 2007

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