Free exhibition: The Reformation at John Rylands Library

There’s a revolution brewing at John Rylands Library on Deansgate. 500 years after Martin Luther posted his ninety-five theses on a Wittenberg church door, a new exhibition explores The Reformation, the religious schism that defined Europe for centuries to come. The turbulence sparked by Luther’s actions prompted William Tyndale to start translating the Bible into English – a revolutionary threat to the established Church and State as Protestant Christianity took hold. In response, the zealous Henry VIII was made “Defender of the Faith”, a title which remains today. The John Rylands exhibition is a treat for religious history fans, who are invited to explore the roles of Luther, Tyndale and Henry, and the resulting propaganda war through print distribution and rare religious tracts.

Thu 7 Sep 2017 – Sun 4 Mar 2018, The John Rylands Library, 150 Deansgate, Manchester M3 3EH. Tel: 0161 306 0555, Sun–Mon 12pm–5pm, Tue–Sat 10am–5pm, FREE, www.library.manchester.ac.uk

Image: King Henry VIII. courtesy of The John Rylands Library