Protestant Reformation

The Protestant Reformation

• The splintering of Roman Catholicism into other Christian faiths

Factors leading to Protestant Reformation

Criticisms by writers during the Middle Ages• 1380s: John Wycliff criticized the Church’s

wealth, corruption among the clergy, the pope’s claim to absolute authority

• 1400s: Jan Hus led Czech religious reform in the Holy Roman Empire; burned at the stake

Factors leading to Protestant Reformation

• Political leaders (kings, princes) wanted more power & money

• Business leaders wanted less restrictions• Scholars began to read the Bible; many

disagreed with Church practices

The Beginning

• Early 1500s: Pope Leo X sought to raise money to rebuild St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome; sold church positions & indulgences

• Tetzel: promised peasants that indulgences would relieve them of guilt for future sins

The Beginning

• 1517: German monk Martin Luther nailed 95 Theses on church door in Wittenberg (northern Germany, HRE)

• Criticized simony, indulgences, other Church practices

The Beginning• 1520 - 21: Pope excommunicated Luther,

banned his writings

Excommunication: kick out of church Catholics thought the only way to heaven is through the church so

excommunication was ‘guarantee’ to go to hell

The Beginning• Luther declared a heretic and outlaw; Frederick, Prince

of Saxony hid Luther• Luther translated the New Testament into German,

developed Lutheranism

Heretic: one who public disagrees with accepted theory or practices of Catholic Church

Vernacular: everyday language one speaks

Lutheranism vs CatholicismSalvation between God and the

individualby good works &

by priests performing

sacraments on faithful

Sacrament Rejected all sacraments except

Baptism & communion

Has seven different

sacraments

Practices have to be based on the Bible

are based on the Pope, clergy &

the Bible

Peace of Augsberg• 1546 – 1555: religious wars –

German princes wanted independence from HRE

• Peace of Augsberg: ended religious wars; allowed princes to choose religion his nation; Catholic Church only recognized Lutheranism

The Holy Roman

Empire in the 16c

The Holy Roman

Empire in the 16c

Spread of ReformationSwitzerland• mid-1500s: Calvin established

theocracy in Geneva• Believed in predestination,

strict rules of living, worshipping

• Democratic nature helped Calvinism spread to France, Netherlands, Scotland

Spread of ReformationEngland• 1527: King Henry VIII

petitioned the Pope for a divorce Catherine of Aragon; Pope refused

• 1534: Parliament passed the Act of Supremacy

• Made king head of the English Church (Church of England)

• King closed monasteries & convents, seized Catholic lands

• Believed that you must be able to choose religion so child/baby baptism doesn’t count

• Don’t baptize until adults

• Persecuted by other Christians b/c they believed if you died un-baptized you go to hell

Dutch persecution of Anabaptists

The AnabaptistsThe Anabaptists

The AnabaptistsThe Anabaptists

ReformationEurope

(Late 16c)

ReformationEurope

(Late 16c)

Catholic (Counter) Reformation

Catholic Church attempted to reform itself:• 1530s: Catholic Church strengthened the

Inquisition (forced conversion of non-Christians to Catholicism)

• 1540: Pope recognized Society of Jesus or Jesuits: group that worked to spread Catholicism & combat heresy

• Founded by Ignatius Loyola

Catholic (Counter) Reformation1543-1563 Catholic Church: Council of Trent• published the Index of Forbidden Books• affirm Church authority, beliefs• affirm concept of purgatory, indulgences, but no more selling them

or church offices • set up seminaries• encourage more to honor celibacy rules• educate people about faith, bible, and Church practices

Results of the Protestant Reformation

• Appearance of several new religions – (Lutheranism, Calvinism, Anglicanism/Church of England,

Presbyterianism)

• Kings & rulers gained more political power from HRE• Catholic Church lost power & prestige & LAND• No tolerance for new ideas which disagree w/ Cath• New interest in education • Edit of Nantes- French law, freedom to practice Protestantism