The Reformation: Historical Conditions and Unintended Consequences

In this lecture, discover the social and political conditions that contributed to the Protestant Reformation and the multitude of unforeseen and unintended consequences that now define the modern world. The reasons for its rapid spread throughout Europe and its lasting effects went far beyond the theological debates surrounding the reformers’ ideas.

Instructor:

Brad S. Gregory is Professor of Early Modern European History at the University of Notre Dame. He received his Ph.D. from Princeton University (1996) and was a Junior Fellow in the Harvard Society of Fellows (1994-96). Before joining the faculty at Notre Dame in 2003, Gregory taught at Stanford University, where he received early tenure in 2001. Gregory has two degrees in philosophy as well, both earned at the Catholic University of Louvain, Belgium. Gregory's research focuses on Christianity in the Reformation era, the long-term effects of the Reformation, secularization in early modern and modern Western history, and methodology in the study of religion.

[SF-rulp]

I shot off to Amazon and purchased "Rebel in thd Ranks" for starters. So looking gorward to reading it. I dtudied this era of history for my Leaving Certificate back in 1980-82 and found it thoroughly engrossing. Dr Brad's lecture is 'fleshing' it out for me. I have also been blessed by a number of years in 'Protestant' churches but always had 'question marks at the back of my mind. G Ire

[cadusteigleder]

Amazing conttent! Thanks so much for this upload. Whatching from Brazil. 🇧🇷🙏

[MohamedShou]

As a Muslim for the past couple of months I have been interested in learning about Christianity more and more especially when you don’t watch the Christian vs Muslim debates on YouTube. Most of the time you don’t learn nothing from those debates and it just becomes who’s louder or who says something “smarter”. So when you watch from actual Christian believers and what they teach and how they practice their faith then you learn way more and understand where they are coming from. May God bless you 👍🏾

[gregerickson]

I very much liked the initial 90% of the lecture. The dear professor does seem to wander a bit outside his area of expertise when speculating about climate science and the morals of wealth or consumerism. He is certainly free to do so. I hope he "stays in his lane" where his conclusions are more supported by certifiable facts. He seems like a very good speaker and I'll get the books

[AntonBalint-lo]

I would like a booklist on Luther and the Reformation - thank you for this talk!

[ellisspear]

Wow....great lecture. I have read his books.

[marknovetske]

I read the unintended Reformation, it was a very insightful and informative work.

[SF-rulp]

Brilliant exposé Dr. Brad. Thank you. G Ire

[AlgyPug]

Excellent lecture - a ton of information delivered in a very digestible form. The point about successful propagation of religion being dependent on political power is one that is often under emphasized. For example, at the beginning of the Thirty Years War, one of the bloodiest conflicts in pre Twentieth Century European history, Pope Paul V (1605 - 1621) provided substantial financial support to the Catholic armies. Unfortunately, Urban VIII (1623 - 1644) who was pontiff for most of the period of the conflict, was a prodigious nepotist, and emptied the Papal treasury with building projects in the Vatican and enriching his family. Had Urban provided that same level of support to the Catholic forces as had Paul perhaps most of Germany would be Catholic today.

[erichodge]

Guy is really good. Gonna have to check out his books.

[davidthomas]

Wondering if you could corroborate my admittedly shallow internet search which says there were at least 2 reformers prior to Luther; namely, Jan Hus and John Wycliffe?

[outofoblivionproductions]

Your framing of the medieval age stood out. But why does Luther always appear out of no-where? He was taught by Nominalists who wanted more focus on the Bible. The seeds of the Reformation began with these people who rejected scholasticism.

[SF-rulp]

I see the revolution of the 1960s stemming from the fact that its only 20 years after the war. Children growing up (teens and older) in the 60s were born of men who came through WWII m- men who were traumatised and could not relate ir parent well. The reaching out in thd 60s was an expression of anger against parents who could not emote/were shut down. Then they reached for self comfort in all its extensions.... imo. G Ire

[skabo__o]

there seems to be a resurrection of faith at least by men

greetings from Austria !

[taylorbarrett]

There was a genuine move of God awakening people to the futility of their works, the gratuity of salvation in Christ, the comfort and assurance available in Christ, and the many errors, corruptions, and abuses that were pervasive throughout the Church. Protestants took that one way, and it's not entirely their fault. The Church could have taken a motherly approach, both correcting Protestant errors while affirming everything it could that was good and true in the Protestant view. Instead, it took an approach that was virtually as hostile as possible, and made its self seem quite opposed to the truths Protestants cherished, and this disappointed the evangelical Catholics who stayed loyal but were hoping for the Church to affirm those things. Anyways, I point these things out to correct my fellow Catholics in the comments

[stephentagg]

Had the protestant reformation not happened, or had been suppressed, do you believe that the church would have reformed itself to eliminate its own corruption and dogma?

[markbirmingham]

Comment for traction. With him on environmental stewardship but i would’ve liked to see a more nuanced reflection on globalization and economic development. Millions have been lifted out of poverty by globalization and cheap goods leads to rising living standards across the board. Its complication as there are downsides too, obviously. But countries that have cheap labor often have a comparative advantage in a labor which can lead to their economic development and all the resulting benefits: improved infrastructure, increased education male and female, lower infant mortality, better nutrition and medicine etc.

[johnschuh]

Waiting to see equations about the way that the spread of commerce led to rivalry for markets, to scientific developments, to seaborne empires. as well as land based empires, To he Industrialization and to ideologies like Marxism in re opposition to the capitalis and its practices.

[derkennedy]

The reformation is largely a northern European project, that like the NAZI project and the green project elevates purity above all else, As JPII noted the problem started when the university intellectuals were given a totally undeserved status.

[Ben_G_Biegler]

Wow, great insights here. "You cannot serve God and Mamon"