The Counter Reformation: Religion and Society in Early Modern Europe

Cambridge Topics in History

by Martin Jones

The Counter Reformation is part of the Cambridge Topics in History series which looks at key A-level topics through a stimulating selection of original documents and other source material. In recent years historians have transformed the very meaning of the term 'Counter Reformation'. Scholarship has broken free of the partisan bias which misinterpreted the events of the decline and resurgence of the medieval Christian Church. In this text, Martin Jones uses a wide variety of original sources to reveal the true nature of the medieval religious landscape. He explores new insights into issues and events which explain why the old term 'Counter Reformation' is so inappropriate that it cannot now be used without major qualification. A wide range of primary sources, many previously unpublished, is combined with examination-based questions to test the students' skill in evaluating historical evidence. A full introduction, narrative and analysis accompany each topic.

Genres: History

176 pages, Paperback

First published February 23, 1995

Reviews

[Daniel Clemence · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book which offers a useful insight into the Reformation. The Counter Reformation offers an analysis of the debates around the Reformation including the indulgence theory, the apocalyptic, reformation by scholarship. The book is constructed with multiple different primary texts and arranged in a way which identifies the key impacts of the Reformation.

I think the most interesting part is how influential that art and the Jesuits were in combatting Protestantism. The book clearly links to the efficiency of the printing press as one of the clear advantages the Protestants had over the Catholics in perpetuating their ideas. The inability for Catholics to debate Protestant notions also didn't help Catholics.

This book is aimed at Sixth Form students and I suspect it is most useful for students of the subject more broadly.