Reformation

Causes

Social Causes

• The Renaissance values of humanism and secularism led people to question the Church.

• The printing press helped to spread ideas critical of the Church

Political

• Powerful monarchs challenged the Church as the supreme power in Europe

• Many leaders viewed the pope as a foreign ruler and challenged his authority

Economic

• European princes and kings were jealous of the Church’s wealth

• Merchants and others resented having to pay taxes to the Church

Religious

• Some Church leaders had become worldly and corrupt

• Many people found Church practices such as the sale of indulgences unacceptable

Protestant Reformation

• A PROTEST against Church Abuses and a REFORM movement in the Christian Church.

General Background

• In Medieval times Catholic Christianity dominated the lives of people.• Since most people were uneducated, however,

their understanding of Christianity was often distorted with some superstitions and imaginary concepts.

• Fear of damnation in an afterlife was of major concern.

Foundations for Reform

• Renaissance education which emphasized critical thinking.• Availability of printed books such as the Bible.• Humanist values and increased focus on this life vs. afterlife.• German and English

nobility disliked Italian domination of the Church

• Abuses of the Church• Pope Leo X’s lifestyle.• Sales of Indulgences.• Sales of Relics• Sales of Church Offices.• The Church’s great

political power and wealth caused conflict.

Martin Luther (Who was he?)• Born in what is now Germany• Was a Lawyer who gave up

his practice and became a monk

• Struggled w/ his faith tremendously

• Did not intend to break with the church– He wanted to reform it

originally

• Like many, he believed the Church had lost its spirituality

Martin Luther Challenges the Church

• A friar named Johann Tetzel was raising money to rebuild St. Peter’s Cathedral in Rome and he was doing this by selling indulgences. (a pardon)

• Indulgence released a sinner from performing the penalty that a priest imposed for sins.

• Tetzel gave people the impression that by buying indulgences, they could buy their way into heaven. (they were not supposed to affect God’s right to judge)

Sales of Indulgences

• Fundraiser for the Catholic Church

• Pay for the arts and lavish lifestyles of Church

leaders.• Reduce / Cancel

punishment for sins or even future sins.

• Ensure admission to Heaven.

• Catholic Church approves

• “Once you hear the money’s ring, the soul from purgatory is free to spring.”

-- Tetzel

Luther Takes a Stand

• In response, he wrote 95 Theses, or formal statements, attacking the “pardon-merchants”

• He posted these statements on the door of the church at Wittenberg .

• Someone had them printed and his name became known all over Germany.

• These actions began the Reformation, a movement for religious reform. It led to the founding of Christian churches that did not accept the pope’s authority.

Luther’s Three Main Ideas

1. People could win salvation only by faith in God’s gift of forgiveness (Church taught faith and good works were needed)

2. Church teachings should be clearly based on the words of the Bible. (Both the pope and Church traditions were false authorities)

3. All people with faith were equal. Therefore, people did not need priests to interpret the Bible for them.

Luther vs. the Church• His writings opened up feelings in many peoples

hearts• 1521 - Pope Leo X declares Luther is a heretic and

excommunicates him• Holy Roman Emperor (Charles V) calls Luther to

trial (Diet of Worms)– Rules Luther as an outlaw– Frederick of Saxony puts Luther in hiding– While in hiding Luther translates the Bible into German• First person to do this in Western Europe• Now everyone can read it for themselves

Luther at Diet of Worms

Martin Luther's Beliefs

• Luther founds his own church (Lutheran)– Simple, priests guide it (not powerful officials)

• Luther believes that people can reach salvation through faith alone– He claims that one cant get it through good deeds

or buying indulgences– He claims that the bible is the ultimate authority,

not the pope– He believes that all people are equal before the

eyes of God

Conflict in German States

• Charles V tries to stomp out any religious dissent against the Catholic Church– Wins battles against other German Princes but cannot stop

the spread of Luther’s message• German Princes that protest Charles V are called “Protestants”

• Peace of Augsburg (1555)– Reaches a compromise with German princes that support

Luther• Each prince can choose what religion they want for their land• People who don’t want to follow that religion have to move to

different state• Northern Princes follow Luther’s teachings, Southern Princes

remain loyal to Catholic Church

Reformation in England

• Starts with Henry VIII (for political reasons)– Defended Church during Reformation in Germany

• Pope gives him the title as “defender of the faith”

• Henry VIII asks for a divorce from his wife Catharine of Aragon (1529)– Pope refuses to allow him the divorce– Henry gets angry and pulls England from the Catholic

Church– Forms the Church of England with him as the head of

it (later called the Anglican Church)

Church of England• Act of Supremacy (1534)– Officially broke England with the Catholic Church– England confiscated all property the Catholic Church

held in England– Henry VIII was now able to divorce his wife and

remarry• 1588 – Spanish Armada tries to sail to England– Goal was to overthrow England's rulers and reassert

Catholic domination over the country– Huge failure – English become most powerful naval

force afterwards

England Becomes Protestant

• Henry VIII was married to Catherine of Aragon and she had a daughter Mary, but no son. Henry VIII wanted a male heir and he asked the pope for an annulment, but he refused and so Henry VIII divorced her and married Anne Boleyn who gave him a daughter, Elizabeth.

England Becomes Protestant

• Henry VIII has her beheaded for treason and marries Jane Seymour who gives him a son, Edward but she dies 2 weeks afterwards.

• Henry marries three more times but has no more children.

Elizabeth I restores Protestantism

• Mary had returned England to Catholicism but when she died, Elizabeth I returned England to the Protestant faith.

• She decided to establish a church that moderate Catholics and Protestants would both accept.

• She did this by setting up the Church of England to have parts of both Catholic and Protestant religions. (priests could marry, like the Protestants, and they wore the rich robes like the Catholics)

Elizabeth I

• Elizabeth faced many challenges.• Catholics tried to replace her with Mary

Queen of Scots, her Catholic cousin.• Philip II the Catholic King of Spain tried to

overthrow her (Spanish Armada of 1588)• She also had economic problems• Through it all, she remained a powerful leader

of England and the Anglican Church

Queen Elizabeth I

• Anglican Church became a national church throughout the British Isles

• Tolerance for dissenters• Expansion and colonialism• Victory over the Spanish Armada (1588)

Queen Elizabeth

John Calvin• John Calvin forms his own

church in Switzerland– Has similarities to Luther’s

ideas, but differs in some aspects as well

• 1536 – John Calvin writes – Institutions of the Christian Religion– Outlines his beliefs on every

issue – Gives followers a united

front– Becomes the basis of

(Calvinism)

John Calvin’s Beliefs (Calvinism)

• Predestination – Idea that God has already decided who will be saved and who would not– Chosen ones called “the elect”– Believes that a persons faith

will be revealed by living a righteous life

• Preached self discipline, high moral standards, and strong work ethic

Calvin establishes his church in Switzerland

• 1536 – Calvin moves to Geneva Switzerland and establishes a Theocracy there– A government ruled by

religious leaders– Strict rules but people

willingly follow– No Vices allowed

Calvinism spreads to France

• Many French Nobles convert to Calvinism– 1/3 of the nobility at one point– French protestants are referred to as HUGUENOTS

• 1562 – Huguenots and Catholics in France begin a bloody civil war– Many Huguenots flee France (Go to Netherlands)

• 1598 – Edict of Nantes– King Henry IV of France grants some religious and

political freedom to the Huguenots in order to quell the violence

Calvinism Spreads to other countries in Europe

• In Poland, Hungry, and other parts of Eastern Europe some minorities convert to Calvinism

• Calvinism also spreads to the Netherlands, Scotland, and parts of the Western German states– These people will eventually be called “Puritans”

• Tried to purify the church and live “pure” lives

• By 1600 Calvinism is firmly rooted in European society

Reformation in Germany

• Princes in Northern Germany converted to Protestantism, ending the authority of the Pope in their states.

• The Hapsburg family and the authority of the Holy Roman Empire continued to support the Roman Catholic Church

• Conflict between Protestants and Catholics resulted in devastating wars (e.g., 30 yrs. War)

Reformation in France

• Catholic monarchy granted Protestant Huguenots freedom of worship by the Edict of Nantes (later revoked).

• Cardinal Richelieu changed the focus of the Thirty Years’ War from a religious to a political conflict.

Catholic Reformation

• Dissenters prior to Martin Luther: Jan Huss, John Wycliffe

• Counter-Reformation: Catholic Response– The Council of Trent reaffirmed most Church

doctrine and practices.– The Society of Jesus (The Jesuits) was founded to

spread Catholic doctrine around the world.– The Inquisition was used to reinforce Catholic

doctrine.

Elements of the Counter-Reformation• The Society of Jesus

(Jesuits) established by Spanish nobleman Ignatius of Loyola– Loyal to pope– Spread Catholicism– Roll back Protestantism

Elements of the Counter-Reformation

• Council of Trent (1545-1563): decrees reaffirmed traditional Catholic teachings– Faith AND good works were

necessary for salvation– Seven sacraments– Catholic view of Eucharist– Clerical celibacy– Purgatory was REAL– Indulgences could be given,

but not SOLD!

Elements of the Counter-Reformation• Reform of the

Papacy– Corrupt policies

need to go– Bad behavior at all

levels needed to go– Reaffirm Church

doctrine

Elements of the Counter-Reformation

•“The Inquisition”