A Survey of Church History Season 3, Episode 2: Martin Luther's Early Life

Introduction to the Reformation

By the year 1500, many attitudes and institutions of the Middle Ages were giving way to new movements. In the first part of this series, W. Robert Godfrey chronicles why many Europeans also recognized that some of the church's beliefs and practices were in desperate need of reform.

23 min

Martin Luther & the German Reformation

After publishing a seemingly unremarkable critique of the sale of indulgences, Martin Luther found himself at the forefront of unwanted controversy. In the third part of this series, W. Robert Godfrey explains how Luther came to be at odds with the political and religious leaders of his day.

24 min

Martin Luther & the Growing Protestant Movement

Martin Luther wasn't the only one who recognized a need to reform the church. In the fourth part of this series, W. Robert Godfrey discusses how Luther needed to grapple with those whose visions for the Reformation differed from his own.

23 min

Martin Luther & the Anabaptists

As the Reformation gained traction, Christian leaders across Europe sought to bring all of life under the rule of the Bible-often with very different results. In the fifth part of this series, W. Robert Godfrey describes the rise of one movement that puzzled Roman Catholics and Protestants alike.

24 min

From the German Reformation to Geneva

Even after Martin Luther's death, the Reformation continued to gather strength throughout Europe. In the sixth part of this series, W. Robert Godfrey takes us to the Swiss city of Geneva where William Farel and John Calvin worked persistently to bring about reform.

25 min

John Calvin & Geneva

When John Calvin left Geneva, he was sure he would never return. In the seventh part of this series, W. Robert Godfrey depicts the surprising events that equipped Calvin to return to the city and carry on the task that he and Farel had begun there.

23 min

The Theology of John Calvin

John Calvin was an accomplished intellectual. Were his writings only for brilliant theologians like himself? In the eighth part of this series, W. Robert Godfrey shows that Calvin's scholarly work was actually driven by a pastoral desire to help Christians grow in their faith.

23 min

The Catholic Reformation

While many who tried to reform the Roman Catholic Church eventually split off from it, some made progress addressing problems from within. In the ninth part of this series, W. Robert Godfrey outlines how these internal reforms took the Roman Catholic Church in a very different direction than the Protestant churches.

The Scottish Reformation

As the Reformation spread throughout Europe, Protestants in some nations faced relentless persecution. In the tenth part of this series, W. Robert Godfrey addresses how the Reformation took root in Scotland through the ministry of John Knox, in spite of government oppression.

24 min

The Dutch Reformation

Though bitterly opposed by the Dutch monarchy, the Reformation attracted a large following in the Netherlands. In the eleventh part of this series, W. Robert Godfrey describes how the persistent courage of the Dutch people prepared the way for a free Dutch Republic and the Dutch Reformed Church.

22 min

The Synod of Dort

The teachings of Jacobus Arminius created significant controversy among Christians in the Netherlands. In the twelfth part of this series, W. Robert Godfrey explains how this crisis resulted in the church officially adopting the distinguishing marks of Reformed Christianity.

23 min