Tag Archives: protestant

In this episode, Matt concludes his discussion of Ludwig Lavatar’s 16th-century book on Protestant Demonology, Of Ghostes and Spirites Walking by Night. In this part, we learn that ghosts are actually demons, that Medieval and late Roman sorcerers got up to some freaky stuff, and that Bulgaria was once ruled by a werewolf. We also find that Lavatar has a rather upsetting yet mundane explanation as to why God allows evil spirits to torment people.

In this, the first of two episodes, Matt discusses the first part of Of Ghostes and Spirites, Walking by Night, a book in which a 16th-century theologian tried to explain why, in a world that he believed to be ruled by a Christian God, people saw ghosts. This book provides fascinating insights into Renaissance folklore, beliefs about the afterlife, and theology. And there’s a lot of smack talk.