The Protestant Reformation

Chapter 1 Section 3

The Protestant
Reformation
Renaissance in Northern Europe = sparked
religious upheaval = shattered Christian
unity.

Background
To The
Reformation
Most Europeans = uncertainty poor +
violent lives.
Wealth was distributed unequally = society
moved from medieval to market based
economy.
Humanist Ideas = spread by printing press
return to classical education + social
reform = took root!
People used humanist ideas to question
the Church = the central force in their lives.
Protestant Reformation Religious movement in 1500s that split
Christian church in Western Europe and led
to the establishment of a number of new
churches.
Church Abuses:
Church = from Middle Ages increasingly
involved in worldly affairs.
Popes competed with Princes = Power.
Fought = wars to protect Papal States from
secular invasions + monarchs attempting to
seize control of church within their lands.
Popes = led lavish lives supported arts +
hired artists to beautify churches.
Church increased fees for services =
marriages + baptisms.
Clergy sold indulgences.

Pope Leo X = needed $ to construct St.
Peters Basilica in Rome approved the
sale of indulgences.

Indulgences pardons issued by the pope that people
could buy to reduce a souls time in
purgatory.
Purgatory = place where souls too impure
to enter heaven waited for sins committed
during ones lifetime.
For almost 1000 years Catholics believed
after death = people went to purgatory
souls work off sins committed in life.

Sale of Indulgences = one of Churchs most
criticized practices.
Middle Ages = Indulgences only granted
for good deeds.
Renaissance = indulgences could be bought
with money.
Erasmus + humanists urged return to
simple ways + stressed Bible study +
rejected worldliness of church.
Early Revolts Against
The Church:

(1300s A.D.) Long before Reformation
John Wycliffe = launched systematic attack
against church using sermons + writings
calling for change.
Followers kept movement alive after his
death.

Jan Hus = Czech led reform movement
for which he was executed.
(1370 A.D.) = priest + preached against
immorality + worldliness of Catholic Church.
Excommunicated by Pope Gregory XII
later arrested + tried for heresy + burned at
stake.
Martin Luther:
Catalyst of
Change

(1517 A.D.) Protests against Church Abuses
erupted full scale revolt.

Martin Luther = German Monk + theology
professor triggered Reformation.
Early life prayed + fasted + tried to live
Holy Life.
Grew disillusioned = church corruption +
worldliness.
Writing the 95 Theses:
(1517 A.D.) Johann Tetzel = Priest in
Wittenberg, Germany set up pulpit +
offered indulgences.

Indulgences = for monetary contributions
construction of Cathedral of St. Peter in
Rome.
Tetzel = claimed indulgences would assure
entry into heaven purchaser + dead
relatives.
Tetzels action = final outrage for Luther
meant poor peasants could not get into
heaven.
Luther = drew up 95 Theses arguments
against indulgences/venality + worldliness
of church.

He posted them on the Wittenberg church
door.
Luther = indulgences had no basis in bible.
Luther = Pope had no authority to release
souls from purgatory.
Luther = Christians saved through Faith
alone.

95 Theses = never intended for the
common people to read but for church
leaders.
Written in academic = Latin most people
did not understand + Church door is a
bulletin board.
Igniting a Firestorm:
Quickly copies of Luthers 95 theses =
printed + distributed across Europe
furious debate.
Church response = Called for Luther to
recant instead he developed more
radical doctrines.
Luther urged Christians to reject authority
of Rome + stated Church could only be
reformed by secular authority.

Pope Leo X = Excommunicated Luther.
Charles V = Holy Roman Emperor
summoned Luther = Edict/Diet at Worms.

Diet (deet) assembly of German princes; a day for a
meeting.
Emperor = ordered Luther to give up his
writings Luther again refused to recant.

Charles V = declared Luther an Outlaw
crime for anyone in empire to give him food
+ shelter.
Many supporters hailed him a hero +
accepted teachings + renounced authority
of Pope.
Luthers goal = not to bring down church
rather to change it.

Translation of Bible into German = spent
years translating specific passages made
bible come to life for readers.
Luthers Teachings:
All Christians have equal access to God =
thru faith + bible.
Ordinary people = able to read bible on
own = he translated it into German.
Every town should have a school = so
children can learn to read bible.
Banned indulgences + confession +
pilgrimages + prayer to saints.
Permitted clergy to marry.
Emphasized the sermon downplayed
elaborate ritual of mass.
Luthers Ideas Spread:
Gutenberg + Printing Press = spread
Luthers writings = Germany + Scandinavia.
(1530 A.D.) Lutherans Protestants =
protesting Papal Authority.
Many clergy saw Luthers reforms = answer
to Church corruption.
German Princes = embraced Lutheran
beliefs selfish reasons = way to throw off
rule of Church + Holy Roman Emperor.
Other Germans supported Luther = seize
Church property in territories + others due
to feelings of national loyalty + others tired
of money going to Italy.
The Peasants Revolt:
Peasants supported Luther = to gain
support for social + economic change.

(1524 A.D.) Peasants Revolt = across
Germany called for end to serfdom + end
to harsh life.
Luther = supported social order
denounced peasants revolt + nobles
suppressed rebellion.
Tens of thousands died + thousands
homeless.
The Peace of Augsburg:
(1530-1540s A.D.) Charles V = tried to force
Lutheran Princes back into Catholic Church
Brief wars + little success.

(1555 A.D.) The Peace of Augsburg =
Charles + Princes finally reach
agreement.

Peace of Augsburg = each prince decided
religion for their lands = Catholic or
Lutheran.

Northern German States chose Lutheran;
Southern chose Catholic.
Switzerlands
Reformation
Ulrich Zwingli = Swiss Priest lived in Zurich
admirer of Erasmus.

Stressed importance of Bible + rejected
elaborate church rituals = many ideas
adopted by Zurichs city council.
Proposed reforms = more radical than
Luther Theocracy.
Gained support in some parts of
Switzerland some others opposed him +
ideas = Martin Luther accused him of
tampering with the word of God.
War between Swiss Protestants + Catholic
officials Zwingli was a casualty.
(1536 A.D.) John Calvin = born France +
trained as Priest + Lawyer + writer.

Wrote book describing how to organize +
run Protestant church.
Shared many of Luthers beliefs +
expanded = preached predestination.
Predestination idea that God long ago determined who
would gain salvation.
Calvinists = world divided into two types of
people saints and sinners.
Calvinists lived like saints = believing only
those saved could live truly Christian lives.

Geneva = Swiss state Protestants asked
Calvin to set up a theocracy for their
community.

Theocracy governments run by church/ religious
leaders.
Geneva = chosen people build truly
Christian society = model community.
Stressed hard work + discipline + thrift +
honesty + morality.
Harsh punishments = fighting + swearing +
laughing in church + dancing.
Reformers visited Geneva returning
home to spread Calvins ideas = took root in
Germany + France + Netherlands + England
+ Scotland.
Germany = Catholics/Lutherans vs.
Calvinists.
France = wars Calvinists vs. Catholics.
Netherlands = Calvinists preached in
countryside to avoid persecution.
England = many sailed to Americas to avoid
persecution.
Scotland = Calvinist John Knox led
religious rebellion + overthrew Catholic
Queen.