Modern Man

HIST/RELH 321: FINAL EXAM ESSAY QUESTIONS

1. Some have said that Martin Luther was not the first “modern” man but rather the last

“per-modern man.” Discuss the foundation for such an argument and give specific

examples which would substantiate or refute this claim.

Martin Luther pushed for the reform of the Roman Catholic Church. His doctrine noted that salvation came forth from the faith of God. God alone could only grant these graces, these graces could not be earn from doing good deeds or by buying indulgence. There in lies questions of whether he was a “modern” or “per-modern man”. “In the pre-modern point of view an authoritative source decides what is true; in a modern point of view the authoritative source agrees with (plausible, verifiable, or whatever) objective truth claims .” The pre-modern society beliefs of supernatural, witches, and the like as factual. Luther is said to have “believed in burning witches”. Pre-modern thought also lack the use of science to explain the world around them. Luther viewed faith of God as the authoritative source to obtain his graces. This reaffirms that was “pre-modern man” side of the debate. Martin Luther is also seen as “modern” for going against the authoriative source the Rome Catholic Church. He is also credit with helping get started reformation of the church. Martin Luther should be classified as “pre-modern” with subtle hints of “modernism”.

2. William J. Bouwsma paints a unique portrait of John Calvin’s emergence in the Protestant

Reformation. Discuss the essential element of Bouwsma’s argument including what

differentiated Calvin from previous Reformers in both philosophy and practice.

In this work, Bouwsma provides a clear and brilliantly argued analysis of Calvin's place in 16th-century European intellectual history, focusing on his thought rather than his life. Bouwsma places Calvin in the context of the

humanist rhetorical tradition

emphasizing practical, pre-professional and...