The Early Reformation in Europe

In the generation that followed Martin Luther's protest, the evangelical movement in Europe attracted very different levels of support in different parts of the continent. Whereas in Germany, eastern and central Europe the new movement brought a swift transformation of the religious and political landscape, progress elsewhere was more halting: both in the Mediterranean lands and the new nation states of western Europe, initial enthusiasm for reform by and large failed to bring about the wholesale renovation of society for which evangelicals had hoped. These fascinating contrasts are the main focus of this volume of specifically commissioned essays, each of which charts the progress of reform in one country or region of Europe. Written in each case by a leading specialist in the field, they make available in English for the first time an up-to-date survey based on primary research and a thorough grasp of the vernacular literature. For both scholars and students they are intended to be a valuable guide to recent debates and literature on the success or failure of the first generation of reform.