The History of Christianity II: From the Reformation to the Modern Megachurch

Right in the pope's backyard, two men give very different yet powerful critiques of the church, years before the Reformation. Examining these representative figures, Professor Worthen unpacks several themes running through Christianity.

Delving into the early Reformation, which begins with Martin Luther and his "95 Theses"; an outlaw to Catholic authorities of the time, Luther is also surprisingly conservative in many ways; reviewing his theology in the context of the 16th century.

Looking at thinkers who are more radical than Martin Luther; exploring the ideas of those who advance their own theological and political critiques of the church; considering Henry VIII's quarrel with Rome and the founding of the Church of England.

Continuing with the Protestant Reformation; meeting the most radical of rebels, the Anabaptists; based on the Bible alone, the Anabaptists want to cut ties completely between church and state; making them politically and theologically dangerous.

Protestants are not the only ones fighting to reform Christianity; Luther, Calvin, and others break from Rome; leaders within the Catholic Church push to consolidate the power of their ideas and institutions; surveying the founding of the Jesuits.

One key theme is the way religious motives are often inseparable from political and economic ambitions; nowhere is this more apparent than Spain in the 16th century; Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand join forces to create a unified Catholic nation.

The Thirty Years' War is a confusing episode in world history; examining whether it is a religious war or a political ploy to depose kings and change the balance of political power; the war unfolds amidst a witch-hunting hysteria across Europe.

The Reformation opens the door for radicals to challenge traditional authority; following Puritans from England, where they push King James to authorize a new translation of the Bible, to the New World; they try to build a Christian Zion.

Tracing the English Civil war, from the rise of Charles I, his battles with Parliament and eventual beheading, to the rule of Oliver Cromwell and the restoration of Charles II; a profusion of radical sects flourish; the proto-communist Diggers.

Shifting attention from the Protestant Reformation to another schism; Orthodox Christians in the East break with Rome and develop their own theology; the principles of Orthodox Christianity; seeing its role in the rise of the Russian Empire.

Like the church in the West, Eastern Christianity has given rise to a range of diverse cultures and clashing theological opinions; discovering the history of Christians in the Middle East; knowing what life is like under Muslim rule.

Reflecting whether religion and science are at odds; tracing the history of the Scientific Revolution from the medieval worldview through the remarkable discoveries of the 16th and 17th centuries; Galileo's proposition about that the Earth.

Professor Worthen explains that the Enlightenment is not one single movement but rather a constellation of ideas and philosophers who debate the relationship between faith and reason; exploring the theories of Voltaire other Enlightenment thinkers.

Some Protestants embrace reasoned arguments; in the 17th century, another group of thinkers choose to emphasize heart over head; surveying the rise of Pietist communities; their response to the historical context of the 17th and 18th centuries.

George Whitefield leads a series of religious revivals up and down the East Coast; the context of religious revivals; examining controversies over evangelism; reflecting on the impact revivals had on American political culture.

Learning whether America is a Christian country; probing if its founders use the Bible as a blueprint for government; in France, revolutionaries both oppress and adopt religion to advance their cause; history is complicated than culture-war slogans.

During the 19th century, a second wave of revivals sweeps North America and Britain; tremendous consequences for Christianity in the West; reviewing the origins of Methodism; Professor Worthen shows how America becomes a majority-Christian country.

Despite TV shows like "Big Love" and the Broadway hit "The Book of Mormon", Mormonism remains somewhat mysterious to those outside the religion; uncovering the origins and practices of this American faith and how it has grown so large so quickly.

Although historical records are relatively scarce, the clever detective work of enterprising scholars reveals the rich religious world of enslaved Africans; Christianity's role in oppression and liberation; the evolution of religion among slaves.

Learning how to make people and a society Christian and what it means to convert foreign lands for Christ; Professor Worthen tackles these difficult questions; reviewing early missions in Africa; she examines the role of women in Christian reform.

The rise of the modern university and its influence on the history of Christianity; examining modern biblical scholarship in Germany and Britain; advancements in 19th-century science; a greater understanding of the battle between faith and reason.

In the 19th century, Christians debate whether to save souls or try to save society first; Protestant activists in Britain and North America preach the Social Gospel, a mission to help the poor, push for social services and effect political reform.

Reflecting on the rise of Pentecostalism and Fundamentalism, a movement that becomes very influential in America; Fundamentalists and Pentecostals clash over doctrine and worship; Professor Worthen shows how both groups respond to modernity.

Christianity starts as an apocalyptic religion; looking at different strands of apocalyptic thinking and their relationship to the Bible; how apocalyptic preaching becomes popular; examining how churches and evangelists preach about the last days.

The Russian Revolution of 1917 is arguably the single most cataclysmic event in the history of religion in the 20th century. Surveying the landscape of religion in Russia in the early 20th century.

Soviet religious persecution and life behind the Iron Curtain; seeing how Khrushchev and Brezhnev continue Stalin-era pro-atheist policies; the persistence of the Catholic Church in Eastern Europe, particularly Poland, home of Pope John Paul II.

Tracing the history of religion in Latin America from the 18th century; reflecting on the relationship between the church and liberation theology in Mexico and elsewhere; Pope Francis struggles to balance pragmatism and idealism in politics.

In 1962, thousands of bishops gather in Rome to convene the Second Vatican Council; they debate how the church should respond to the challenges of modernity; seeing how Catholic reforms make a real-life impact from America to the Philippines.

For Western Christians, the 20th century brings growing secularization; Professor Worthen explores this term in the historical context of the 1950s and 1960s; religion increasingly becomes a private business; theologians proclaim the death of God.

The morally complex role of churches in social change; reflecting on the stories of the American civil rights movement and the South African battle over apartheid; exploring the ambivalent role of Christian institutions and ideas in the 20th century.

The second half of the 20th century witnesses today's culture wars, the clash between traditional religious morality and secular pluralism; exploring this tension in American society and politics; the culture war plays out in religious debates.

Revisiting Latin America to examine the role of Protestant missionaries and their rivalry with the established Catholic Church; seeing how Catholic leaders respond to evolving societies; looking at liberation theology and the Christian Right.

Church attendance declines in America and Western Europe; Christianity grows rapidly around the world; Professor Worthen reviews controversial revival movements in Africa; the promise and peril they offer to struggling believers in difficult times.

In China, rise of Christianity meets with an uneasy mix of enthusiasm and suspicion; reviewing early Christian contact with China; Professor Worthen traces 19th and 20th-century missions; reflecting on religious tensions under the Communist regime.

Finding out how Christianity becomes a thriving faith in South Korea, a relatively small nation; fellow believers to the north suffer savage repression; Pyongyang enforces a state religion devoted to the worship of former dictator Kim Il-sung.

Three challenges for Christians in the 21st century include their encounters with Islam, their attitude toward global capitalism and their reaction to the forces of secularization; understanding how these challenges prepare one for the future.