Ronald K. Rittgers, Duke Divinity School Professor of Reformation Studies

Prof. Rittgers joined the faculty of Duke Divinity School in the fall of 2021. He is interested in the theology and spirituality of the Age of Reform (ca. 1050-ca. 1650), and also studies the important intellectual, social, and cultural developments of this period in western Christianity. In addition to articles and essays, Professor Rittgers has authored a number of books: The Reformation of the Keys: Confession, Conscience, and Authority in Sixteenth-Century Germany (Harvard University Press, 2004); The Reformation of Suffering: Pastoral Theology and Lay Piety in Late Medieval and Early Modern Germany (Oxford University Press, 2012); The Reformation Commentary on Scripture: Hebrews and James (Intervarsity Press, 2017); a co-edited volume, Protestants and Mysticism in Reformation Europe (Brill, 2019); and A Widower’s Lament: The “Pious Meditations” of Johann Christoph Oelhafen (Fortress, 2021). Prof. Rittgers is currently working on a book entitled The Enchanted Word of Early Protestantism. He has held grants from the NEH and the Lilly Foundation, and has been a senior research fellow at the Herzog August Bibliothek (Wolfenbüttel, Germany) and the Leibniz Institute for European History (Mainz, Germany). Professor Rittgers has also served as the president of the American Society of Church History.
A committed teacher, Professor Rittgers offers survey classes on the History of Christianity, as well as seminars on topics such as Martin Luther, Christian Theology in the Age of Reform, Christian Spirituality in the Age of Reform, Renaissance Christian Humanism, and Faith and History.

Contact Info:

Office Location:	0040C Langford Building, Duke Divinity School, NC 27708
Email Address:

Teaching (Spring 2025):

• RELIGION 150.01, CHRISTIANITY Synopsis

  Gray 220, MW 10:05 AM-11:20 AM

  (also cross-listed as HISTORY 149.01)

• MEDREN 551.001, EARLY MODERN CHRISTIANITY Synopsis

  Divinity TBA, MW 03:05 PM-04:20 PM

• MEDREN 551.02D, EARLY MODERN CHRISTIANITY Synopsis

  Divinity TBA, Th 01:55 PM-02:45 PM

• CHURHST 751.001, EARLY MOD/MOD CHRISTIANITY Synopsis

  Westbrook 0012, MW 03:05 PM-04:20 PM

• CHURHST 751.01P, EARLY MOD/MOD CHRISTIANITY Synopsis

  Langford 0050, Th 01:55 PM-02:45 PM

• CHURHST 751.02P, EARLY MOD/MOD CHRISTIANITY Synopsis

  Langford 0054, Th 01:55 PM-02:45 PM

• CHURHST 751.03P, EARLY MOD/MOD CHRISTIANITY Synopsis

  Langford 0050, F 08:45 AM-09:35 AM

• CHURHST 751.04P, EARLY MOD/MOD CHRISTIANITY Synopsis

  Langford 042, F 11:35 AM-12:25 PM

• CHURHST 751.05P, EARLY MOD/MOD CHRISTIANITY Synopsis

  Langford 0050, F 01:55 PM-02:45 PM

Education:

Ph.D.	Harvard University	1998
M.T.S.	Regent College (Canada)	1992
B.A.	Wheaton College	1987

Keywords:

Christian humanism • Church history • Counter-Reformation • Early modern, 1500-1700 • German language--Early modern, 1500-1700--Foreign words and phrases • Historiography • Reformation • Renaissance • Salvation--Christianity--History of doctrines--Middle Ages, 600-1500 • Sin--Christianity--History of doctrines • Spiritual life--Christianity--History of doctrines • Spiritual life--Christianity--History of doctrines--Middle Ages, 600-1500 • Theological anthropology--Christianity--History of doctrines • Theology • Word of God (Christian theology)

Recent Publications   (More Publications)

1. Rittgers, RK, Scripture as ‘Sacrament’ in Early Modern Evangelical Church Ordinances, Reformation and Renaissance Review (January, 2025) [doi]  [abs]
2. Rittgers, RK, A Liturgy of Lament for a Broken House-Church: The Pious Meditations (1619) of Johann Christoph Oelhafen, Reformation and Renaissance Review, vol. 25 no. 2-3 (January, 2023), pp. 82-100 [doi]  [abs]
3. Rittgers, RK, A Widower's Lament The Pious Meditations of Johann Christoph Oelhafen (September, 2021), pp. 343 pages, Fortress Press, ISBN 9781506424811  [abs]
4. Rittgers, RK; Evener, V, Protestants and Mysticism in Reformation Europe (March, 2019), pp. 473 pages, BRILL, ISBN 9789004393189  [abs]
5. Rittgers, RK, The Word-Prophet Martin Luther, The Sixteenth Century Journal, vol. 48 no. 4 (December, 2017), pp. 951-976, University of Chicago Press [doi]