This episode continues the history of Christian Nationalism, highlighting Martin Luther's theological protest against the Catholic church. Since church and state were substantially interwoven, the upstart monk's "religious" protest was tantamount to rebellion against the state. Consequently, the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, presides over Luther's trial, the state having a vested interest in protecting the sacred-secular marriage. The episode also details the English Reformation, which initially had nothing to do with religion. The "father" of the English "reformation" was Henry VIII, who created the Anglican Church after the pope refused to grant him an annulment with Catherine of Aragon, based purely on political considerations. (Catherine was the aunt of Charles V, the secular protector of the papacy, which was beholden to secular power). So when the State interferes with religion based on a political calculus and the Church renders "religious" decisions based on the same, corruption of both is evident. James Madison alluded to the former, noting that state intrusion in religion amounted to an "unhallowed perversion of the means of salvation."
“No Bishop, No KIng!”
This episode describes the confrontation between Puritans and King James just prior to the new monarch's ascension to power in 1603. A Puritan delegation headed by John Reynolds petitioned the king to share ecclesiastical power with lay elders and install presbyterian church government throughout England. This radical change in church polity would undermine the authority of bishops, and James adamantly responded, "No bishop, no king!" James reaction underscores the church-state fusion that predominated in Europe in which bishops were, in effect, delegates of the king. Presbyterian church government threatened to undermine royal authority. The confrontation nevertheless bore positive fruit when King James agreed to Reynold's suggestion that a new English translation of the Bible be sanctioned by the king.