Heinrich Heshusius (1556–1597) is a minor figure in the history of the late Reformation, but Michael Halvorson has chosen him as the focus of this book for the very reason of his relative “ordinariness.” Noting how Carlo Ginzburg and Bob Scribner used modest individuals as gateways to explore broader social and cultural dynamics, Halvorson sees this son of a better-known father (Tilemann Heshusius) as a typical Lutheran preacher whose life can serve as a lens to bring into focus the strategies used by clergy networks to advance the process of confessionalization.

Halvorson provides insights into the formation of Heshusius's mental world by noting the issues that occupied the attention of his mentors at several universities. Using social network analysis, Halvorson also shows how extensive intermarriage among prominent Lutheran families helped the upper clergy consolidate influence.

Over half of this book is devoted to an analysis of how Heshusius indoctrinated the laity through the catechism and catechetical sermons he produced while serving as a pastor in Tonna and as superintendent in Hildesheim. Although his writings passed on standard Lutheran views, Halvorson suggests that Heshusius was innovative in his linking of the contents of the catechism to various psalms. Heshusius is also remembered for his call for the expulsion of Jews from Hildesheim, prompted by an interesting case of a Jewish thief who sought baptism before being executed. Halvorson concludes that although Heshusius's polemics against rival viewpoints might seem mean-spirited from a modern perspective, they contributed to the process of identity formation and consensus building in an era of intense confessional strife.