Activity 1

One of the ways in which Catholics have professed their devotion to the church and its principles is by repeating the catechism, that series of questions and answers that convey the basic tenets of belief. During the Reformation, Protestant sects devised confessions of faith as alternatives to the Catholic catechism. One of the most famous of these Protestant confessions is the Belgic Confession of the Reformed church of the Netherlands. Another is the of the confession of the Reformed church of Scotland founded by John Knox, a follower of Calvin. The Anabaptist Schleitheim Confession contains the principles of a more radical form of Protestantism. Read sections 1-5 of the Belgic Confession, all of the Schleitheim Confession, and sections 1-5 of the Scottish Confession. How do these confession resemble and differ from each other? How does each begin, and in what order do they present the principles of their respective churches? What does each confession suggest about the priorities of each sect?

Activity 2

One of the most important artists of the Northern Renaissance and Reformation period was Albrecht Dürer. Read the following brief biography of Dürer and take a look at a few examples of his art: Portrait of the Artist's Father, Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, Knight, Death, and the Devil, Self-Portrait at 22, Self-Portrait at 26, Self-Portrait at 28, and The Four Apostles. What is distinctive about Dürer's art? How did Dürer become familiar with humanism and the artistic principles of the Italian Renaissance? How does his art resemble and differ from the Italian Renaissance art you have studied? What did Dürer contribute to the art of printmaking? How did the Reformation affect Dürer's art?