During the sixteenth century, Christians in England underwent a series of changes in their religion, some violent and rapid, others uneven and slow, that made the country Protestant.  During those changes a wide range of writings was produced, many official documents from government and church, that helped shape the changes.  In turn, some of those documents gained various degrees of authority in the Anglican church of subsequent centuries.  This is a “great books” course, studying those influential documents in their historical context.  Extensive reading in primary sources and two papers of seven to ten pages are required.

[Pre-requisite:  introductory study of the history of Christianity]