Hans J. Hillerbrand

This volume (volume 5) features Luther's writings that intesect church and state, faith and life lived as a follower of Christ. His insights regarding marriage, trade, public education, war and are articulated. His theological and biblical insights also colored the way he spoke of the "Jews" and Turks, as well his admonition to the German peasants in their uprisings against the established powers.

Told in easy-to-understand language with helpful timelines and selections from historical writings, this engaging new introduction will appeal especially to students with little or no experience in the study of religion. A New History of Christianity provides a definitive overview of the many persons, places, movements, and events necessary for the telling of our story, the story of the Church. It is a story told within the complex contexts of larger world events and world cultures, but defined and simplified by attention to those developments that have proven most influential. Knowing that the history of Christianity presents students with a daunting array of names and events, Hillerbrand focuses only on those that provide the best insights into Christianity's contribution to world culture, both past and present.

Originally published more than forty years ago, this important collection brings together the works and writings of the revolutionary minds behind the Protestant Reformation--and it remains a major resource for teachers, students, and history buffs alike. Over the decades, however, modern scholarship has shed new light on this tumultuous period, raising probing questions and providing new connections that have radically changed our understanding and outlook. With this newly revised and updated edition of this essential work--now including texts written by women as well as entries dealing with popular religion--modern viewpoints are cogently addressed, while the scholarly integrity that has made this book a revered classic has been scrupulously maintained. Throughout, Hans J. Hillerbrand's basic assumption remains consistent: religion--no matter how dependent on societal forces--must be seen as the pivotal element in the story of the sixteenth century.

In The Division of Christendom, revered historian Hans J. Hillerbrand details the events and ideas of the sixteenth century and contends that the Protestant Reformation must be seen as an interplay of religious, political, and economic forces in which religion played a major role. Hillerbrand tells the fascinating story of the ways in which theological disagreements divided the centuries-old Christian church and the roles that leading characters such as Luther, Zwingli, Anabaptists, and Calvin played in establishing new churches, even as Roman Catholicism continued to develop in its own ways. The book covers all significant aspects of this period and interprets these important events in their own context while reflecting on the consequences of the Reformation for later periods and for today.

Confessionalization in Europe, 1555-1700 brings together a closely-focused set of essays by leading scholars from the USA, UK, and Europe, in memory of Bodo Nischan. They address what historians of the Early Modern period have recently come to define as the pre-eminent issue in the history of the Reformation, as they turn their emphases from the earlier part of the 16th century to the relatively neglected latter half of the century. By the time of his death Bodo Nischan had distinguished himself as a significant contributor to this central problem of confessionalization. The concept involves the practice of 'confession building' which in relation to that of 'social disciplining', promoted interrelated processes contributing decisively to the formation of confessional churches, greater social cohesion, and the emergence of the Early Modern absolute state. Many religious practices, earlier considered as adiaphora (indifferent matters), now became treated as marks of demarcation between the emerging Protestant confessional churches and at the same time politicized as the early modern state sought to impose greater social control. Through the analysis of such liturgical, ritual, and ceremonial practices Nischan helped show the way towards a better understanding of the Reformation's engagement with the people. These are the themes treated in this volume.

"Edited by a Duke University religious scholar with more than 1,000 articles, this encyclopedia does for Protestantism what the New Catholic Encyclopedia did for Catholicism. Topics include biographies, historical data, and organizations, as well as cultural, social, and religious themes. Controversial topics, such as abortion, creation science, and homosexuality, are treated objectively. Topping it off are a thorough index and appendixes containing historical and contemporary statistical data. Nearly 500 contributors worldwide helped create this comprehensive source."--"Reference that rocks," American Libraries, May 2005.

This volume includes selections from the Christmas Postil, specifically sermons on the Gospel lessons for Christmas Eve, the Early Christmas Service, St. Stephen's Day, the Sunday after Christmas, New Year's Day, and the Festival of the Epiphany.