The Church’s intelligentsia threaten the laity as well as Martin Luther with heresy and produce martyrs, challenging the Reformation’s survival.

SYNOPSIS:

EPISODE 8, SYNOPSIS, TRIALS

Based upon a true story, the episode opens in England with Archbishop Thomas Wolsey overseeing the trial and public burning of a young mother. Her sin? Teaching the Lord’s Prayer to her daughters in English instead of Latin.

Thanks to the 16th century equivalent of the Internet, the printing press, Martin Luther’s Ninety-Five Theses, explodes throughout Christendom. Pope Leo X reacts strongly to discipline and silence the theology superstar.

Luther’s first trial is in Heidelberg before a gathering of Augustinian monks where he defends his theology. He confronts his academic equal, Johann Eck, henchman for Pope Leo.

Martin’s presentation at Heidelberg begins poorly, but introduced in Episode 7 - Spirits, Angela saves the day. Martin wisely keeps her a secret from fellow reformers. Afterwards, Martin befriends another hero of the Reformation, Martin Bucer.

Father Sylvester Mazzolini, a threatening figure, delivers a summons for Martin to appear in Rome for another trial. Martin takes the summons to Frederick III, Elector of Saxony, who founded Wittenberg University where Martin teaches.

Frederick devises a dangerous plan to change the venue to Augsburg to protect Martin from certain assassination. The plan, which involves appealing to Leo’s homosexual tendencies, succeeds.

As Martin and fellow reformers travel to Augsburg, Martin has a serious attack of nervousness and upset bowels. This almost ends his travels. He overcomes this trial and makes a sound defense of his theology at the main event.

Margaret Tudor, Queen of Scots, faces a different kind of trial. She has a lifetime opportunity to reconnect with six-year-old son, James the Fifth, who she hasn’t seen in years. However, she must first overcome a poisonous environment created by Archbishop James Beaton, James’ regent.

Beaton implicates Margaret in the murder of Labatie, a French Knight, close friend, and mentor of King James. She has a painful reunion with James but marvelously reconnects with her son in a dramatic and touching reunion, which becomes one of the highlights of the series, For the Love of God.