Summary of The Reformation

The Reformation, written by historian Diarmaid MacCulloch, is a comprehensive history of the religious and social upheaval that swept Europe from the early 1500s to the mid-1700s. It explores the origins, personalities, and events that shaped the Protestant Reformation, as well as the Catholic Counter-Reformation. MacCulloch examines the impact of these movements on politics, science, art, and culture, and how they altered Europe's social and religious landscape. He also looks at how various reformers and movements addressed the challenges of the period, from the spread of religious pluralism to the rise of secularism. Through detailed research and vivid storytelling, MacCulloch paints a vivid picture of this turbulent era, showing how the Reformation transformed not just the Church, but Western civilization.