The Counter Reformation: Religion and Society in Early Modern Europe

The Counter Reformation is part of the Cambridge Topics in History series which looks at key A-level topics through a stimulating selection of original documents and other source material. In recent years historians have transformed the very meaning of the term 'Counter Reformation'. Scholarship has broken free of the partisan bias which misinterpreted the events of the decline and resurgence of the medieval Christian Church. In this text, Martin Jones uses a wide variety of original sources to reveal the true nature of the medieval religious landscape. He explores new insights into issues and events which explain why the old term 'Counter Reformation' is so inappropriate that it cannot now be used without major qualification. A wide range of primary sources, many previously unpublished, is combined with examination-based questions to test the students' skill in evaluating historical evidence. A full introduction, narrative and analysis accompany each topic.