Bridget Heal

Prof. Bridget Heal is Head of the School of History at the University of St Andrews and a leading scholar in early modern German religious and cultural history. She holds a Professorship and directs the Reformation Studies Institute. Her research integrates visual evidence with religious history, focusing on Protestant and Catholic Reformations' societal impacts, particularly Lutheran baroque art's role in identity formation. She has authored major works like *A Magnificent Faith* (2017), which re-examines Lutheran visual culture, and *The Cult of the Virgin Mary* (2007), analyzing Marian piety. Prof. Heal has held a visiting fellowship at Freie Universität Berlin (2010–2011) and supervises PhD students, including John Sullivan. Awards include a 2017 ACE/Mercers' Book Award shortlist. Her work bridges art, theology, and history, emphasizing territorial divisions' influence on Lutheran aesthetics.

Education: Studied at the Universities of Cambridge and London. Academic roles include Director of the Reformation Studies Institute and visiting fellowships in Berlin. Research interests span visual piety, confessional identity, and early modern Germany's religious art. Her publications span monographs, chapters, and peer-reviewed articles, addressing topics from altarpiece iconography to Enlightenment-era reformatorische art.