By Dr. Lizabeth Johnson

1. Luther’s “helpmeet” and Knox’s “monstrous regiment”: women
and the Reformation
Portrait of Anne Boleyn, by unknown artist, c. 1535, Hever Castle, Kent.
• The major reform movements
• Martin Luther, 1483-1546
• John Calvin, 1509-1564
• HenryVIII, r. 1509-1547
• Catherine of Aragon, 1485-1536
• Anne Boleyn, 1507-1536

2. Reformation-era Europe
Map from Lynn Hunt, The Making of theWest,Volume 1, 4th edition.

3. Luther’s “helpmeet” and Knox’s “monstrous regiment”: women
and the Reformation
Engraving of Martin Luther, by Baldung Grien, 1521.
• Luther’s reform movement
• The justification of faith
• “Every man his own priest”
• Literacy important to salvation
• Celibacy destructive to the soul
• Sexuality within marriage healthy
• Katherine von Bora, 1499-1550
• Marriage necessary, but not necessarily happy
• Not a sacrament, but divorce still discouraged
• Eve and Mary
• Teaching and preaching

4. Luther’s “helpmeet” and Knox’s “monstrous regiment”: women and the
Reformation
HenryVIII in theWhitehall Mural, by Remigius van Leemput, 17th century, Royal Collection, Hampton Court Palace.
• Calvin’s Geneva
• Adultery a capital crime
• Strict control of morality
• HenryVIII
• Abolished monasticism but didn’t allow clerical
marriage (or divorce!)
• John Knox, c. 1510-1572
• Presbyterianism
• The First Blast of theTrumpet Against the
Monstrous Regiment ofWomen, 1558

5. Luther’s “helpmeet” and Knox’s “monstrous regiment”: women
and the Reformation
Etching of Margaret Fell (standing on left), by Robert Spence, late 17th century
• Minor reform movements
• Anabaptists, 1520s-1530s
• Equality of direct spiritual inspiration
• “Third baptism”
• The Society of Friends/Quakers, 1650s
• Margaret Fell, 1614-1702
• Women’s SpeakingJustified, Proved and Allowed
of by the Scriptures, All Such as Speak by the
Spirit and Power of the Lord Jesus
• Puritans, 1560s
• Anne Hutchinson, 1591-1643

6. Luther’s “helpmeet” and Knox’s “monstrous regiment”: women
and the Reformation
Portrait of St.Teresa of Avila, by Peter Paul Rubens, 1615, Kunsthistoriches Museum,Vienna.
• Women and the Catholic Reformation
• The Council ofTrent, 1545-1563
• St.Teresa of Avila, 1515-1582
• Barefoot Carmelites
• St. Angela Merici, 1474-1540
• Order of the Ursulines
• MaryWard, 1585-1645
• Institute of the BlessedVirgin
• St. Louise de Marillac, 1591-1660
• Sisters of Charity

7. Luther’s “helpmeet” and Knox’s “monstrous regiment”: women and the
Reformation
Elizabeth at prayer, from Christian Prayers and Meditations in English, French, Italian, Spanish,Greeke and Latine, 1560,
Lambeth Palace Library.
• Women and politics during the
Reformation
• John Knox’s “monstrous regiment”
• Mary Queen of Scots, r. 1542-1567
• Mother of JamesVI of Scotland by Henry, Lord
Darnley
• Executed by Elizabeth I in 1588
• Mary I of England, r. 1553-1558
• Daughter of Catherine of Aragon
• Married to Philip II of Spain
• Elizabeth I, r. 1558-1603
• Daughter of Anne Boleyn

8. Luther’s “helpmeet” and Knox’s “monstrous regiment”: women
and the Reformation
Still from TheWizard of Oz, 1939, MGM.
• Witch beliefs among the
peasantry
• Striga (pl. strigae)
• Wisewoman/man
• Cunningwoman/man
• French devin
• Old English wicca (m) and wicce (f)
• Maleficia

9. Luther’s “helpmeet” and Knox’s “monstrous regiment”: women and the
Reformation
Depiction ofWaldensians, in Martin le France, “Le Champion des Dames,” c. 1440, Bibliotheque Nationale Grenoble.
• Witch beliefs within the learned
classes
• Repression of sexuality =
demonization of sexuality
• Fears of heretics bringing
subversion of order
• Waldensians and Cathars as
cannibalistic Devil worshippers who
fly to night-time sabbaths

10. 15th-16th century images of witches,
from Brian Levack, TheWitch Hunt in Early-Modern Europe.

11. 17th century images of witches,
from Brian Levack, TheWitch Hunt in Early-Modern Europe.

12. Luther’s “helpmeet” and Knox’s “monstrous regiment”: women
and the Reformation
Images from Brian Levack, TheWitch Hunt in Early-Modern Europe.
• The witch trials of Reformation
Europe
• Heinrich Kramer, James Sprenger,
and the Malleus Maleficarum, 1486
• “Refusal-guilt syndrome”

13. • Statistics from Brian Levack,
TheWitch-Hunt in Early Modern
Europe