Warhammer 40,000 draws its influences from across history; notably the in-universe history, theology, and iconography of the Imperial Cult and the Adeptus Ministorum are inspired by the medieval and early modern Roman Catholic Church. One instance of the history of the Adeptus Ministorum paralleling the history of Catholicism can be seen in origin of one of Warhammer 40,000’s main factions: the Adepta Sororitas. The ‘Age of Apostacy’ which saw the emergence of these ‘Daughters of the Emperor’ is directly inspired by the events of the sixteenth century; paralleling the crises of the Renaissance Papacy, the Protestant Reformation, and the Counter-Reformation. However, while some similar events take place, their conclusions differ greatly leading to an ‘incomplete reformation’. This renders religion in the universe of Warhammer 40,000 quite shallow with a theology and iconography that did not naturally develop side-by-side as its inspiration did.
This paper will examine the parallels between the religious turmoil of the sixteenth-century and the Age of Apostacy, noting where inspiration is direct and where they diverge. For example, the joint temporal and spiritual power wielded by Vandire parallels contemporary concerns surrounding the powers of Renaissance papacy that were expressed within the conciliarism movement, and the works of Martin Luther and Lucas Cranach the Elder. Where Vandire was ultimately slain by his own bodyguard amidst a religious revolution led by Sebastian Thor who replaced him, Luther’s Reformation saw large swathes of Europe break from Rome instead. This divergence, amongst others, sees the Imperial Cult continue almost unchanged theologically by the end of its reformation moment, yet expressed in the visual language of the Adeptus Ministorum is the Renaissance and Baroque movements inspired by the Counter-Reformation. Thus the Imperial Cult takes on a post-Tridentine character without fully experiencing a true Reformation, leading to an underdeveloped theology and slightly disconnected iconography.
Author bio
Dr Thomas Wood is an independent scholar who completed his AHRC-funded PhD at the University of Birmingham in 2023. His thesis explored the significance of serpents and dragons as cultural phenomenon in the religious landscapes of early modern Germany. He is currently preparing this research for publication as a monograph.
