During the period known as the Protestant Reformation, scholars and theologians used the relatively new media of the printing press to spread their message to a wide audience. Throughout the 16th century religious reformers like Martin Luther, Ulrich Zwingli, and Jean Calvin issued thousands of printed works which criticized the beliefs and practices of the Roman church and advocated new doctrine.
L. Tom Perry Special Collections at Brigham Young University actively acquires the work of Reformation-era religious and political figures, and has assembled a collection of several thousand pamphlets and books. This guide provides a sampling of important printed works by major religious thinkers of the Reformation held in Special Collections. Where available, library databases and other sources providing access to these texts in English are also listed. Many other authors and titles not included in this site can be found by searching the library catalog.
These materials are open to students, faculty, and other researchers for use in Special Collections' reading room. University faculty may also arrange with the curator for class presentations of these materials in Special Collections.
