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This podcast episode explores the 1685 French Edict of Fontainebleau and the history behind the persecution of Protestants in Louis XIV's France. The episode covers the origins of Protestantism in France, the French Wars of Religion, and the subsequent persecution of French Huguenots under the reign of King Louis XIV. Special focus is put on the character of Louis XIV and the reasons behind why the Catholic French king decided to openly persecute French Protestants in 1685.

History popularly paints Queen Mary I as a poor ruler, almost tyrannical, heavy-handed, and murderous. The origin of her famous moniker of “Bloody Mary”. However, this view is unfair. Instead, she must be examined in her context as a CatholicQueen pragmatically ruling a Protestantized England  thinking through the best methods to restore the old faith. Though often misunderstood and characterized by Protestanthistoriography as “Bloody Mary,” this episode argues that Mary Tudor was in fact a responsible and sober-minded Catholic monarch.

In this episode, Grant and Dr. Robinson explore the Biblicalfoundations of the Parliamentarian and Roundhead cause in their overthrow of Charles I's "tyrannical" reign over the Kingdom of England. Using Oliver Cromwell's own Soldiers' Catechism, Grant and Dr. Robinson dive into the Puritan background of the Roundhead cause, and where thegovernment and the soul of the English people intertwined. 

This episode explores the ideologies of Erasmus on the cuspof the religious and political upheaval of European Reformation. Through his 1516 work The Education of a Christian Prince, Erasmus used a unique tactic for internal reform by dedicating his work to the future Emperor Charles V, forthcoming leader of the Habsburg dynasty, and the most powerful leader of Europe. Throughout his argument, Erasmus defined what a good Christina Prince was through his Humanistic exposition which include being educated, seekinginternal integrity, and the guidance of God.

The bulk of Vincent's episode discusses the intense back andforth theological debates between the 16th century theologians Martin Luther and Desiderius Erasmus. The two disagreed on many Christian theological principles, and Vincent describes in depth the two's differing views of Free Will based on a series of letters between the two men. Lutherfirmly believed that human will is bound by sin, while Erasmus argued that Free Will does exist, allowing humans to choose to accept or reject divine grace. 

In this episode, the heroic actions of the first published Protestant woman, Argula von Grumbach are examined. Argula grew up in the noble class in Bavaria, under the Holy Roman Empire. She received large amounts of education as a young woman. In her later years, her brave, historic actions pushed her into the spotlight. After being inspired by Martin Luther's writings, Argula published her letter "To the University of Ingolstadt" which was revolutionary notonly because it supported Lutheranism, but also because it was publicly written and published by a woman in the sixteenth century. 

After the Protestant Reformation, German Lutherans had tolearn how to interpret and approach civil authority that did not match their beliefs. The Holy Roman Empire, headed by the Catholic Habsburgs and inhabited by many states that still adhered to Rome, was fertile for potential violence between Lutheranism and Catholicism, and Lutheran leaders attempted to address the purpose and limitations of civil obedience. Martin Luther's successor and mouthpiece, Philip Melanchthon presented a political philosophy within theAugsburg Confession that exhorted Lutherans to obey magistrates for personal survival and disobey when laws contradicted scriptural truths - a tolerance of mutual existence.

In this opening episode of season 3, Asher Kenney and host Kyle Robinson examine a case in the records of early eighteenth century England. Dr. Sacheverell’s 1709 Sermon on the perils of False Brethren and the ensuing trial and public controversy that occurred as a result. This particular historical episode reveals several key long-term consequences that are arguably derived from England’s political experience of the Reformation. An experience that was being reshaped by new forces of party politics at the dawn of the eighteenth century.

Elizabeth’s research focuses on King James VI & V’s experience with witch hunting in Scotland in the 16th and 17th centuries and the Early Modern European witch trials and asks the question, “How did King James VI’s elevated political position and strong beliefs concerning the witch phenomenon influence 16th and 17th-century societal, religious, and political life during the Scottish and English witch trials?” She closely examines Dæmonology, written by King James during this time period, and several other supporting sources. 

The research on William Williams, Pantycelyn seeks to integrate his life and his work within the context of the Welsh Reformation and on the wider Protestant world. While it is not original research, per se, it is original in the sense that this research seeks to shine a light on William Williams, Pantycelyn from a viewpoint within twenty-first century United States. The research first seeks to understand the cultural and religious landscape of eighteenth century Wales before looking at Williams’s life and particularly his most famous work Arglwydd, arwain trwy’r anialwch (in English, Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah/Redeemer)