The Protestant

Reformation

Martin LutherMartin Luther

Underlying Causes of the Protestant Underlying Causes of the Protestant ReformationReformation

• 1. Corruption in the Roman Catholic Church• 2. Impact of Renaissance Values – “thinking” a dangerous

activity, as people begin to question when they think• 3. Declining Prestige of the Papacy

– Babylonian Captivity, Great Schism, 1300s• 4. Influence of religious reformers (pre-Protestants)• 5. Resentment of secular rulers over power of clergy• 6. Invention of printing press – allowed more people to

read – allowed ideas to circulate more freely

Immediate Cause of Protestant ReformationImmediate Cause of Protestant Reformation

• Martin Luther’s posting of 95 theses to protest sale of Indulgences by the church and, in particular, by Tetzel

Johannes Tetzel:Ultimate

salesman of Indulgences

St. Peter’s Cathedral, RomeSt. Peter’s Cathedral, RomePope Leo X needed enormous sums of money to

complete the construction of St. Peters

Indulgence – what was it?

• Reduced time spent in Purgatory, the place one goes after life before Heaven or Hell; not a nice place to be.

• Did not affect God’s right to judge• Tetzel gave impression that buying indulgence

could get you to Heaven• You could buy one for your dead relatives, too and

save them from continued suffering in Purgatory or Hell!

As soon as the coin in the coffer rings / Up toward Heaven the soul springs

Before Luther there were others….

Christian Humanists Resist the Church:

Desiderius Erasmus (1466-1536):

Dutch scholar and humanist

A simple piety - devoid of greed and the lust for power. Translated a new Latin edition of the New Testament. Mocked the corruption of the clergy and the greed of European royalty.

Though much of what he wrote agreed with Protestant ideas, he was too radical even for them and too critical of the church in general

Sir Thomas More: “A Man for All Seasons”

A lawyer - a friend and confident of Henry VIII - Lord Chancellor of England

Utopia (1516) a perfect society with public schools for all, communal kitchens, hospitals & nurseries - no need for money - to some extent the perfect “socialist” society 300+ years before Karl Marx. No crime. No war. No greed. No private property. A true classless society

Sir Thomas More: A Man of Conviction

More resisted the efforts of Henry VIII to annul his marriage to Catherine of Aragon

He refused to sign the acts of Parliament that authorized declared the king supreme over the church and severed ties with Rome.

It cost him his head.

Today we view More’s ideas about Utopia differently

Henry VIII recovered from the execution of his friend, Thomas More

Unable to convince the Pope that his marriage to his wife of 18 years was invalid -- he simply left the Catholic Church, established the Church of England (Anglican Church), named the Archbishop of Canterbury chief religious officer and himself as head of the Church -- He then divorced Catherine and married Anne Boleyn (who later also lost her head for another reason)

OH -- to have such power…….

Martin Luther

Martin Luther

Was supposed to become a lawyer (that’s what the family wanted)

After his prayers for help to the patron saint of distressed travelers were answered, he entered an monastic order.

Although a devout Christian, he began to object to the corruption he believed existed in the church.

Among other things, he objected in particular to the sale of indulgences by the church as a way to gain entrance to heaven or to secure salvation even for relatives who had previously died.

The 95 Theses• Oct. 31, 1517• Luther nailed the 95 Theses to the door of the

Wittenberg Cathedral – they were a list of his objections and his call for reform in the church.

• Copies made (thanks to the printing press) and distributed so it could be read

Luther’s 3 Main Ideas

• 1. Salvation by faith alone

• 2. Importance of scripture

• 3. Priesthood of all believers

1. Salvation by faith alone

• Not “good works”

• Not by purchasing indulgences

• Only from God (God’s forgiveness)

2. Importance of Scripture2. Importance of Scripture

• Church teachings should Church teachings should be based on the Bible, not be based on the Bible, not tradition or popetradition or pope

3. Priesthood of all believers

• All people with faith are equal

• No need for priests to interpret Bible for individuals

Protestant Reformation

It began as a PROTEST against corruption in the church

Luther wanted to REFORM the church

It was NOT an attempt to form a new religion

Pope Leo X sends Luther a Papal Bull which basically orders him to recant

and to cease and desist

1520

What do you think Luther was threatened with if he did not “recant” and “cease and desist” with publicizing his heretical ideas?

Luther says bull to the bull

Pope Leo X Excommunicates Luther

A Diet of Worms, 1521A Diet of Worms, 1521Luther defends his beliefs and his teachings before the Holy Roman Emperor

• Charles V• Hapsburg• German lands, but not

very united• Catholic• Has a city called Worms

Holy Roman Empire

It’s neither It’s neither Holy, nor Holy, nor

Roman, nor Roman, nor an Empirean Empire

What sayeth thee to theseth charges?

“I cannot and I will not retract anything,

since it is neither safe nor right to go against

conscience…

… I cannot do otherwise, here I stand, may God help me. Amen.

Edict of Worms:

Luther is an outlaw and a heretic. No one in the Holy

Roman Empire may give him food or shelter or video games!!

Holy Roman Holy Roman Emperor Charles VEmperor Charles V

Frederick the Wise

of Saxony

Shelters Luther

King of Saxony, one of the 300+ kingdoms that made up the German Confederation

Why did Luther’s Ideas Spread so Quickly in Germany?

There was no “Germany” It was a confederation of 300+ states, kingdom, etc. Though part of Holy Roman Empire of Emperor Charles V, there was very little central control. The King could not enforce religion like in France or Spain. Many of the individual monarchs could choose their religion.

A King, Prince, etc. who decided to follow Luther’s ideas would break with the Catholic church – no longer had to follow “orders” from the Pope, Bishops, etc

Popular with the peasants – they could gain salvation and go to heaven just by being faithful and good. They did not need to buy indulgences to undue their past sins.

Why did Luther’s ideas spread so quickly?

“Lutheranism” taught that people could interpret the Bible on their own. They were not wrong just because a priest said they were.

And then….there was the printing press. Because of the advances in printing, Luther’s ideas could be circulated through Europe faster than ever before to a populace rapidly becoming more literate.

A series of wars erupts in Europe.

They are fought over religion

A series of wars erupts in Europe.

They are fought over religion

Charles V - Holy Roman Emperor vs. The Lutheran princes.

The first series of wars are ended by the Peace

of Augsburg

Charles is forced to recognize the

Lutheran church in the Holy Roman

Empire.

The Peasants’ Revolt, The Peasants’ Revolt, 1524-261524-26

Peasants in the countryside rose up against the princes and the Church. In the end, the Catholics and the Lutherans joined together to defeat them - killing over 100,000 in the process.

Luther’s Response to the Peasants

• Against the Filthy, Thieving, Murderous Hordes…

• Respect secular authority

Other “reformers” of the church:

Huldrych Zwingli and John Calvin

Zwingli: Swiss - a stern disciplinarian - tolerated no dissent - attacked the rebellious Anabaptists (sect that believed that adults should be rebaptized) Anabaptists defeated and pretty much wiped out - exist today as Mennonites

Calvin: French - settled in Geneva to avoid a curse.

Pre predestination - salvation was predetermined. He demanded strict religious discipline - established the Reformed Church in Geneva - a theocracy which no dissent was allowed.

Calvinism quickly spread through Europe and then across the Atlantic to the New World, mostly to New England

Results of Protestant Results of Protestant Reformation:Reformation:

• 11. . Northern Europe becomes ProtestantNorthern Europe becomes Protestant

• 2.2. Unity of Western Christianity is shatteredUnity of Western Christianity is shattered

• 33. . Religious Wars in Europe last over 100 yrsReligious Wars in Europe last over 100 yrs..• 44. . Protestant spirit of individualism encouraged Protestant spirit of individualism encouraged

democracy, science and capitalismdemocracy, science and capitalism

• 55. . Growth of the nation-state encouraged by Growth of the nation-state encouraged by separation of church and state; church separation of church and state; church subordinate to state in all but theological matters.subordinate to state in all but theological matters.

Assignment• What was the Counter Reformation? Was

it successful? Why or Why Not?• What was (or were) the Thirty Years War?

What was the long term effect of the 30 years War?

• Who were the Huguenots? What was the Edict of Nantes?