Magic, Heresy, and Witchcraft in the Renaissance World

The Christian world of Renaissance Europe was far from united. Instead, Europeans regularly challenged the orthodoxy of the Catholic world, as individuals and communities. These challenges took many forms, including beliefs and practices that were labeled sometimes as heresy, other times as witchcraft. The use of magicand beliefs around magical practices were also a significant part of European culture, one that the Church attempted to suppress or at least harness. This class explores these elements of the Renaissance world that helped shape a vivid and tumultuous age.