Church History, Volume 3 (of 3)

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

37404

Title

Church History, Volume 3 (of 3)

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

Professor Kurtz's comprehensive survey of global Christianity from the 17th to the 19th centuries. This volume details the theological battles, political upheavals, and missionary expansions that shaped the Catholic, Lutheran, Reformed, and emerging Protestant churches, offering a scholarly account of the era's religious evolution.

Summary up to 500 words

Professor J. H. Kurtz's *Church History, Volume 3* concludes his authoritative survey by examining the tumultuous religious landscape of the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. The narrative opens in the 1600s with the complex interplay between Roman Catholicism and Protestantism. This era saw the Calvinizing of German states, the persecution of Huguenots in France, and internal strife within Lutheranism and Anglicanism. Simultaneously, the Catholic Church expanded its global reach through Jesuit missions in Asia and the Americas, while grappling with internal movements like Quietism and Jansenism. The 18th century is defined by the 'Illumination,' or Enlightenment, which challenged traditional theology with Deism, Rationalism, and the philosophical shifts of the French Revolution. Despite these intellectual upheavals, distinct Protestant movements flourished, including the unique development of the Moravian Brethren and the rapid rise of Methodism. The Catholic Church responded to the suppression of the Jesuits in 1773 and the rise of Gallican liberties, while also fostering new congregations and orders. The 19th-century section details profound shifts in German Protestantism, characterized by Rationalist controversies and the eventual separation of confessional Lutherans from state-controlled unions. In the Catholic sphere, the volume covers the decline of the Papal States, the decrees of the Vatican Council, the rise of Ultramontanism, and the formation of the Old Catholic Church. The work concludes with a global perspective, surveying the expansion of missionary societies, the growth of home missions, and the enduring theological debates that shaped modern Christianity. Through this rich tapestry, Kurtz presents a comprehensive history of faith, reason, and societal change, illustrating how Christianity navigated the transition from medieval structures to modern nation-states.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

Download URL

https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/37404.epub.noimages

Local file path

data/epubs/pg37404.epub

Download EPUB

Downloaded at

2026-07-09 13:21 UTC

Categories

• Religion
• History