When Martin Luther published his 95 Theses in October of 1517 he had no intention of starting a revolution. But he became a rebel and the Reformation took off. And then the Reformation rebelled against Luther, and we’re still dealing with consequences that would have horrified the reformer five hundred years later.

That’s how historian Brad S. Gregory tells the story in his new book, Rebel in the Ranks: Martin Luther, the Reformation, and the Conflicts that Continue to Shape Our World. His historical narrative shows how many of today’s most contentious issues are legacies of the Reformation. How did church separate from state? What should Christianity’s relationship be to political and social structures? What would the reformers think about the aftershocks of their courageous efforts to create a godly world?

About the Guest

Brad S. Gregory is a professor of European history at the University of Notre Dame and an award-winning author of books like Salvation at Stake and The Unintended Reformation: How a Religious Revolution Secularized Society. His latest book is called Rebel in the Ranks: Martin Luther, the Reformation, and the Conflicts that Continue to Shape Our World. He’ll be in Provo on September 15th at the Maxwell Institute’s “Living Reformation” conference, celebrating five hundred years of Martin Luther. Go to mi.byu.edu/Luther500 for details.