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Reformation History
The Beginnings of Religious Reforms
Corrupt PriesthoodMoral Decay of the ChurchDecline of Papal PowerPeople of the Reformation
Immorality of the Clergy. Celibacy for clergy became
Roman Church law in 1079. This mandate tempted all kinds of immorality. The abodes of the
clergy were often dens of corruption. It was a common
sight to see priests frequenting the taverns, gambling, and
having orgies with quarrels and blasphemy. Many of the clergy kept mistresses, and convents became houses of ill fame. In many places the people were
delighted at seeing a priest keep a mistress, that the married
women might be safe from his seductions.
“Salvation, taken from the hands of God, fell into those of the priests, who set themselves in the place of
our Lord. Souls thirsting for pardon were no more to look to heaven, but to the Church, and
above all to its pretended head. To these blinded souls the Roman
pontiff was God. Hence the greatness of the popes - hence
unutterable abuses”
Peter Waldus
12th Century Reformer
Followers attempted to reduce the ecclesiastical government in their lives
Considered every Christian qualified and authorized to instruct and exhort
Confession to a priest not necessary
Prayer for the dead useless and vain
John Wycliffe (1320-1324)Opposed the Pope—two officers in the Church: elders and deaconsFormed societies to preach to the poor— “Lollards”Scriptures were the only source of authority
May 4, 1415 the Council of Constance declared him a hertic and commanded his books to be burned and his body exhumed and burned12 years later this was carried out and his ashes were thrown in the river Swift.Translated Bible into English
Martin Luther (1483-1546)
Challenged authority of pope
Luther was angered by the sale of indulgences led to nailing 95 theses to the church door
Bible is the only infallible source of religious authority
All baptized Christians are a universal priesthood
Luther declared early church had no pope1522 published the N.T. in German
John Calvin (1509-1564)
Literal interpretation of Scripture
Church organization
Pastors
Teachers
Elders
Deacons
Invited to build Reformed church in Geneva
Imposed a strict morality
Thrown out of Geneva
Moved to Strasbourg were he began writing commentaries on the Bible
Invited back to Geneva
Calvin’s doctrine accepted by the masses
Practically all denomuinational churches are Calvinist to some degree
Predestination the core of Calvin’s belief
Calvinism can be seen in the acrostic “Tulip”
T- Total Depravity
U – Unconditional Election
L – Limited Atonement
I – Irresistible Grace
P- Perseverance of the Saints