Historical Dictionary of the Reformation and Counter-Reformation: (Historical Dictionaries of Religions, Philosophies, and Movements Series)

The Protestant Reformation of the 16th century has traditionally been viewed as marking the onset of modernity in Europe. It finally broke up the federal Christendom of the middle ages, under the leadership of the papacy and substituted for it a continent of autonomous and national states, independent of Rome. The Historical Dictionary of the Reformation and Counter-Reformation provides a comprehensive account of two chains of events-the Protestant Reformation and the Catholic Counter-Reformation-that have left an enduring imprint on Europe, America, and the world at large. This is done through a chronology, an introductory essay, a bibliography, and over 300 cross-referenced dictionary entries on persons, places, countries, institutions, doctrines, ideas, and events.

About the Author :
Michael Mullett has taught medieval and early modern British and European history for 40 years at the University of Lancaster. Now officially retired, he continues to research, write, and lecture and is currently preparing a study of John Calvin.

Review :
At the end of the sixteenth century, the political and social order of Europe and the unity of Western Christianity were forever changed. Many of the persons, places, theological controversies, and events from that time are described in more than 300 entries in this reference work. Preceding the dictionary entries is an introductory essay on the Reformation and Counter-Reformation along with a chronology of events relevant to that tumultuous time. Although the entries themselves do not include suggestions for further reading, an extensive bibliography concludes the work....The Historical Dictionary of the Reformation and Counter-Reformation treats the major figures and topics of this period and will be a useful addition to academic and large public library collections. Mullett (emer., Univ. of Lancaster, UK) offers guidance to readers interested in the Protestant Reformation and the Catholic response, often called the Counter-Reformation. Coverage of these events includes some attention to European expansion into Asia and the Americas. The result is a fairly long book, with a foreword, preface, detailed chronology, and brief historiographic introduction, followed by an alphabetical dictionary (the bulk of the book) with cross-references. Persons, groups, ideas, and events receive attention, as does liturgy, including the Mass and Forty Hours Devotion. The book covers regions as far away as Japan, along with almost all religious currents of the period....The volume concludes with an extensive bibliography. Entries are fairly brief but informative....This book will be most useful for smaller academic libraries. Recommended. What a successful phenomenon is the Historical Dictionary series of series published by Scarecrow Press!.... Certainly any library with a full set of Scarecrow's Historical Dictionaries would be a library worth knowing about…. The entries are dense and concise, yet clear. As with other volumes in the series, the Bibliography is particularly impressive, with a ten-page introductory essay, ten subdivisions and 12 countries identified featured separately. This book would be a useful reference to have for students of European history and religious studies. This dictionary is highly recommended to all academic and public libraries since the Reformation and Counter-Reformation are very important parts of history and religion. The Historical Dictionary of the Reformation and Counter-Reformation (HDRC) by Michael Mullett, provides an excellent combination of scholarship, brevity, and currency…. Small dictionaries, like the HDRC, typically do not provide the depth that doctoral students or faculty pursue in their research. This book is different…. Mullett's work is a welcome addition to any library. It is more than a replacement for the first edition. The HDRC explains many new issues related to the Reformation and Counter-Reformation. Mullett's elaborations provide the impetus for continued scholarship in this area. His bibliography provides an excellent venue through which further scholarship can be pursued. The combination of scholarly articles and a thorough bibliography make the HDRC an exemplary resource for the Reformation and Counter-Reformation. The recently retired Mullett has done students of the Reformation a huge favor by compiling this book. It is a straightforward, accurate, and thoughtfully devised dictionary of the era’s people, places, movements, and events. It will be of use at all academic levels and warrants a place on every library shelf. Mullett’s decisions about what to include are astute, and the book’s value is increased by the addition of a detailed chronology and an extensive bibliography. There is also a fine introductory essay that confused undergraduate students will adore.