What is religion?

What is religion?

• Something people believe in e.g. a god, gods, godesses, prophets

• Rules• Organised groups, communities,

organisations• Place of worship• Feast days, celebrations, rituals• Worship, prayer, • Holy books•

What religions (and Gods/Prophets) are most

popular?

What religions (and Gods/Prophets) are most

popular?• Buddhism: Buddha• Christianity:

Christ/God• Islam: Mohammed• Hinduism: Shiva

etc...• Judaism: God

• Sikh• Shintoism

What different forms of Christianity do we have in the

world today?• •

What different forms of Christianity do we have in the

world today?• Christians•

• Roman Catholic• Orthodox: Greek

Orthodox, Russian Orthodox

Religion in Europe in the Middle Ages

• In middle ages the main religion in Europe was Christianity

• Most people in Europe were christian

• The leader of the christian church was the Pope (based in the Vatican, Rome)

In Western Europe...

In the Middle Ages (before 1300)

• There was basically one version of Christianity (with the Pope as the head of the Christian Church)

By 1600Several versions of Christianity existed

(1)Roman Catholic (Pope as leader/head)

(2)Lutheran (esp. Germany, Holland, Scandinavian countries)

(3)Calvinist (esp. Switzerland) /Presbyterian (esp. Scotland)

(4)Anglican (e.g. Church of England, Church of Ireland)

Heretics

• People who disagreed with the official teachings of the christian church were called ‘heretics’

• People convicted of ‘heresy’ were often executed

Structure of the Christian Church in the Middle Ages

• The Pope was the head of the Church• Cardinals were in charge of a region or

country• Countries were divided into a number of

‘dioceses’ (run by a bishop)• Dioceses were divided into a number of

‘parishes’ (run by priests)• Communities of monks lived in

monasteries• Communities of nuns lived in convents

Many people unhappy about ‘abuses’ in the Church

• Simony: buying/selling positions(jobs) in the church

• Nepotism: giving important positions to relatives• Absenteeism: bishops/abbots/priests living away

from the area they were supposed to serve• Pluralism: bishops/abbots/priests holding several

positions (with land, buildings, donations etc…) bishop of several areas

Other problems facing the Church

• Pope & priests supposed to be celibate but some popes had children: Innocent VIII, Alexander VI

• Popes involved in politics & war (Pope Julius II ‘the Warrior Pope’ in wars with rival princes/rulers

• Some priests/bishops were loyal to Lords/rulers rather than church or congregation

• Corruption• Lack of education

HEAVEN(forever/eternity)

PURGATORY(for a time- decided by God-

Before going to Heaven)

HELL(forever/eternity)

HUMAN SOULAFTER DEATH

CHRISTIAN BELIEFS ABOUT THE AFTERLIFE DURING

THE MIDDLE AGES

The selling of ‘indulgences’• Christians believed that

after they died their souls would go to heaven or hell or to purgatory (for a time before being allowed into heaven)

• Indulgences: were reductions in the time people would spend in Purgatory

• Indulgences were supposed to be granted for ‘good works’ but began to be ‘sold’ for donations to church

●In 1506 Pope Julius II began rebuilding St. Peter’s Basilica●Pope Leo X needed money to pay for St. Peter's Basilica●In 1517 he granted Indulgences (less time in Purgatory) in return for donations to pay for the building

Pope Leo X

Saint Peter's Basilica in Rome

●In Germany Archbishop Albrecht of Mainz was in debt for ‘simony’ and needed cash●Made a deal with the Pope (50% each)●Albrecht sent John Tetzel (a Dominican friar) to sell indulgences around Germany

Bishop Albrecht of Mainz

John Tetzel

• Albrecht sent John Tetzel to sell the Indulgences and collect money around Germany

The sale of indulgences

The Reformation: key personalities

• Pope Julius II• Pope Leo X• Archbishop

Albrecht of Mainz• John Tetzel• Martin Luther• Cardinal Catejan• John Eck

• Emperor Charles V• Frederick the Wise

The early life of Martin Luther (1483-1546)

• ML born in Eisleben in Saxony (Germany)

• Family wealthy but strict• ML went to study at Erfurt

University (1500)• Joined monastery of Augustinian

friars in Erfurt (1505)• Began to study/teach theology

at University of Wittenberg (1507)

• Luther lived a good life but worried about going to heaven

• Developed idea of Justification (salvation) by faith alone (without good works)

• Martin Luther disagreed with the selling of Indulgences and after he saw Tetzel selling them in Wittenberg

• He wrote his '95 Theses' and wrote to the Bishop and the Pope to complain

Martin Luther and Tetzel

The '95 Theses'

• The 95 Theses (arguments) were against indulgences and criticism of abuses in the church

• Luther is said to have pinned the list to door of All Saints Church in Wittenberg in October 1517 (start of the Reformation)

Luther, the Pope and Cardinal Catejan

● 95 Theses translated into German and printers made copies so ideas spread

● Pope Leo X worried and sent Cardinal Catejan to try to get ML to recant (take back what he had said)

• The Pope wasn't happy that Luther was criticising the sale of Indulgences and sent Cardinal Catejan and later John Eck to try to convince Luther to take back his ideas but Luther refused

John Eck

POPE LEO X

BISHOP ALBRECHT OF MAINZ

JOHN TETZEL

MARTIN LUTHER

CARDINAL CATEJAN JOHN ECK EMPEROR

CHARLES VFREDERICK THE WISE

• Luther ends up by attacking power of the Pope moving close to heresy

• The Pope then issued an official letter (Papal Bull) threatening to excommunicate Luther

• ML risked being burnt at stake but refused to take back ideas

• Luther burnt the Papal Bull to show he disagreed with the pope

The Papal Bull

Emperor Charles V and Frederick the Wise of Saxony

➢ Luther being supported by Frederick the Wise (ruler of Saxony)

➢ Saxony was in the Holy Roman Empire ruled by Charles V (also King of Spain)

• Charles V

Emperor Charles V

Pope asked Charles V to punish Luther

• Charles didn’t want to upset Frederick and instead agreed to hold a meeting (diet) at Worms with German lords and princes and let Luther put his case there

The Diet of Worms (1521)

• At the Diet of Worms Luther declared a heretic & outlaw by Charles V after refusing to withdraw his ideas

Luther declared a heretic

• However, the prince of Saxony Frederick the Wise agreed to hide Luther and protect him

Frederick the Wise of Saxony

Luther in Wartburg Castle

• While in hiding Luther translated the Bible into German

The growth of Lutheranism

• People begin to adopt Luther’s ideas

• Justification by Faith Alone

• Christians should rely on the Bible for Guidance

• Married priests

• Services and bible in the vernacular (local language) not Latin

• 2 sacraments not 7

• Bare churches

• No indulgences

• By 1525 Germany divided into Catholic and Lutheran States

Luther marries Catherine Von

Bora 1525

• In 1529 Pope re-issued order against ML but Lutheran rulers protested (origin of word ‘protestant’)

• Small civil wars between states in Germany

• 1530 Diet of Augsburg organised by Charles V but achieves little

Religious wars in Europe

Luther's Death and The Peace of Augsburg

1546 Luther dies of heart attack1555 Peace of Augsburg agreed that individual rulers could decided if states and people in them were to be Catholic or Protestant

The Reformation: Key words• Pope (Vatican-

Rome)• Cardinals• Bishops (diocese)• Priests (Parish)• Monks

(monasteries, abbey, abbot)

• Nun (convent, nunnery, abbey, abbess

• Tithes-taxes paid to church

• Abuses of power and position

• Simony

• Nepotism

• Absenteeism

• Pluralism

• Corruption, breaking celibacy rule

• Lack of education

Luther: Key words

• b. Germany• Became a monk• Studied and taught

theology (religion) in Wittenberg

• Pope Leo X • Wanted money to

build St. Peter's Basilica in Rome

• Indulgences for donations

• Bishop Albrecht of Mainz

• John Tetzel• Luther angry and

writes letters to Bishop, Pope and list of complaints

• 95 Theses

Luther and the Reformation

• Pope Leo X• Bishop Albrecht• John Tetzel• Martin Luther• Wittenberg• 95 theses• Cardinal Catejan• John Eck• Papal Bull

• Charles V• Diet of Worms• Heretic/outlaw• Frederick the Wise• Wartburg Castle• Bible into German• Catherine Von

Bora• Peace of Augsburg