A critical chapter in the history of Christian thought, the Reformation provoked political, social, and cultural transformations that profoundly changed the Western world. This is the first major reference to cover the immense subject of the Reformation in its entirety. It is a unique compendium of contemporary scholarship focusing on the complete range of religious and social changes wrought by the Reformation--including not only issues of church polity and
theology but also related developments in politics, economics, demographics, art, and literature. It is an unparalleled source of information on the personalities and events of the era, with broad coverage
ranging from biographies to extensive treatments of topics such as Lutheranism, women, law, music, the Holy Roman Empire, peasants, the Bible, persecution, and literacy.