Dr Rob Lutton introduces an important aspect of contemporary historical studies: the study of religion as a force that shapes lives. Religion, like it or loathe it, has not disappeared from the human landscape - as many thought it would in the late 20th century - and so it is an aspect of life that historians must engage with. Dr Lutton examines how we can gain understanding of ordinary life in the later Middle Ages by examining popular religion, keeping in mind two basic principles; 1) What do we mean by religion? 2) How Christianized was later medieval society? He argues that while most of the evidence that survives is the product of the clergy, one can discover what religion meant to the wider population. Other videos you wish to watch; Why Study Church History https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVoHcCgqPMo Why Study Heresy in the Later Middle Ages https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ky4jIVQ2_9M Why Study Lollardy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvNUEaP3kAA