Historiography of the Reformation

Horizons of Understanding Hans Georg Gadamer – Student of Martin Heidegger, author of Being and Time Role of Memory Role of Community Question: what do these reflections imply for our ability to know the Truth?

Eusebius of Caesarea Eusebius’ meta-historical perspective: – Christian doctrine as the key to the meaning of history – Roman emperors: valued according to their advocacy or persecution – History is God’s plan unfolding in the human realm Question: Why might it be necessary for non- Christians to write the history of Christianity?

The Middle Ages Ad fontes – Illyricus’ Magdeburg Centuries: story of deterioration from pristine ideal – Catholic response: Baronius – “Impartial” history: Gottfried Arnold

Reformation vs. reformatio Doctrine vs. ethical renewal Focus on justification by grace alone Significance of Luther: early characterizations Von Ranke: Epoch of the Reformation (incl. counter-Reformation) Catholic vs. Counter Reformation

Magisterial vs. Radical Intellectual vs. Social History Magister: “teacher” Radicals: more the province of social history? Intellectual history: focus on doctrine and church history – Dominance of Luther; polarizing figure – Pietists – Enlightenment thinkers Social history: focus on more “secular” matters

Psychobiography Erik Erikson: identity crisis – Conflict with father as a basis for understanding conflict with society Norman O. Brown: Luther’s anal personality – Neo-Freudian – Reformation a form of pathology Scott Hendrix – Contextual family history – Irreducible to simple pathology – Neither opportunism nor piety alone Lortz – Tragic misunderstanding – Late medieval nominalism

Social History Centrality of social, economic, political goals – Theology an expression of these more fundamental concerns – Thomas Brady vs. Lewis Spitz Marxist historiography – German Peasants War Lindberg’s approach: – Continuity and mutuality – “Long sixteenth century”