History 238 Fall 2012 MIDTERM

Directions:  Answer TWO of the following questions in essay form.  I will be looking at how well your response is supported by evidence from the assigned readings.  An adequate response will be AT LEAST three pages using the standard formatting requirements for this class.

1) The Reformation was arguable more a product of late medieval society and culture than it was of Luther's theology.  Describe the social and cultural factors that made the Reformation possible, particularly in Northern Europe.

2) The Reformation developed in (and for some, contributed to) an atmosphere of profound anxiety in the sixteenth century.  Describe the sense of crisis in the sixteenth century and the factors that contributed to it.

3) Luther was not a lone actor in the religious revolution that carries his name.  Describe the social context that Luther's career began in, and how political and social conditions in the early sixteenth century contributed to the success of his movement.  How did patronage and social networks contribute to the development and spread of the Protestant movement.