We will briefly discuss several individuals who were pivotal in bringing about the protestant reformation

We will see what the primary issues raised by them were against the Roman Catholic Church

We will also look at some disagreements that the reformers had with each other, many of which still

play out in different Christian denominations today

We will be looking at an overview of Catholic beliefs, and where the primary disagreements

are with Protestants

Road map for this lecture

In a brief summary of the history of the Reformation, as a distinct, well-defined, aggressive force, we have

to consider only the period of about one hundred and thirty years, between the dates 1517 and 1648.

Between these limits the Reformation invaded every nation in Europe.

The History of the Reformation

We do not have time to do justice to the entire reformation and the individuals who played a role

bringing it about, but we will do our best to cover the important individuals and issues dealt with.

Brief overview of the Roman Catholic ChurchRoman Catholic church claims a 1.03 billion members

62 million Catholics in America The Catholic church has done many good things: Schools, universities, hospitals, orphanages, and

homes for elder people

Catholics do agree with protestant on many points:- The Trinity

- The deity of Jesus Christ

- The Virgin Birth - The Sinless life of Christ

- The atonement on the cross

- The church was built on Peter, who is called the first Pope.

- The doctrine of purgatory after death to purge ones sins

- Prayers to Mary and dead saints to mediate on our behalf.

- Images to kneel and pray before.

- Confession to a priest for absolution of sins.

- The Mass and sacraments as necessary for salvation.

- Salvation comes only through the Roman Catholic Church.

- The Eucharist of the Mass and transubstantiation, the teaching that that the bread and wine literally become the

blood and body of Christ when taken at Communion.

There are also some big differences

- Penance and selling of indulgences.

- Veneration and worship of Mary, which has greatly increased in recent years.

- Holy water

- Canonization of dead saints.

- Celibacy of the priesthood

- The Rosary

The Church has continued to teach these things as if they were scriptural, and in 1545, at the Council of Trent, equal

in authority with the Bible the Roman Catholic Church declared that traditions were to be considered

Keeping that in mind, let’s look now at the reformation

John Wycliffe

In the year 1324, Wycliffe was born in Yorkshire, England.

Nothing is known of his childhood or early youth. In the year 1340, at the age of sixteen years, he was admitted as a student at Queen's College, Oxford

He carefully read the writings of the fathers, and although the Sacred Scriptures were then almost

entirely neglected by the ecclesiastic, Wycliffe devoted much time to their study.

"Morning Star of the Reformation,"

In 1374 Wycliffe was sent to the Continent upon an embassy to the Pope, to treat concerning the liberties

of the Church in England. He remained abroad two years, carefully studying the policy of the Pontiff, and returned to England more thoroughly convinced of

the gross corruption of the Romish Church; while his zeal in exposing her errors and vices was considerably

increased, and his opportunities for spreading his views were very great.

Through different situations John Wycliffe had become very respected at his university & was given a

position there of great influence

Wycliffe's doctrines gave so much offence to the clergy of the Romish Church, that in 1377 he was

summoned to appear before a convocation which met in St. Paul's Cathedral in London, to answer for his heresies; but the assembly broke up in confusion

without taking measures against him. But later in the same year the Pope commanded that he should be arrested, and kept in security till further orders. The

University was enraged, and debated whether to receive the Pope's messenger or dismiss him

disgracefully. But Wycliffe concluded to meet his accusers face to face, at a Synod appointed for the

purpose at Lambeth, in January, 1373.

Whether they would have silenced the Reformer or not, is uncertain, for during their deliberations a mandate from the queen mother forbade their

proceeding against him, and he was dismissed with the simple command to abstain from preaching his

doctrines in future.

About this time he was engaged in translating the Bible. His writings abound with sound Protestant

views on the supreme authority of the Scriptures as a guide to faith and practice; but his enemies took

advantage of some disturbance which they unjustly charged to his teaching

The translation of the Bible was the chief and crowning glory of his life, and the lever by which the

Papal power in Great Britain was overthrown.

More than a century before Luther was born, Wycliffe had planted the seeds of the Reformation, and with great boldness and perseverence had promulgated those principles which were to shake the Romish

Church to its centre.

He is correctly seen as the pioneer and patriarch of Protestantism

He was banished from the University in 1353, retiring to his living at Lutterworth where he died in 1384.

John HussJohn Huss was a precursor to Martin Luther and the start of the reformation, he was martyred (burnt) for

his reformation beliefs and opposition to the Catholic Church

William Tyndale

One of the pivotal players leading up to the primary thrust of the reformation worked on the Bible being

translated into English. He opposed the Romish church and was eventually martyred for his beliefs.

Throughout the Middle Ages, the Roman Catholic Church exerted religious authority over the entirety of Western Europe. The Church was also a major political and economic force, with many clergy holding posts in

government and education, and enormous wealth being collected from land

holdings and taxation.

The situation at the time of the reformation

For the reformers, they were not just going against a popular religion, they were going against the religion

of Western Europe, the controlling political and economical power which had a great power

The most pivotal individual in bringing about the Protestant Reformation:

Martin Luther born in Saxony, in 1483Luther grew up in a poor family, and was sent to the university to become a Lawyer, after a while there he became a Monk, and after being a Monk he started to

question certain doctrines of the Catholic church

On October 31st, 1517

Martin Luther nail his 95 thesis to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany

“I dissent, I disagree, I protest”

The 95 thesis are to long to read over here, but can be

easily found online if you are interested

The 95 thesis are addressing the use of indulgences by

the Roman Catholic Church

If you want to help a dead relative in purgatory make it to heaven, you need to have Masses said for that person. In order to have that done, you pay them.

Indulgences were sold by the Catholic Church with the claim that they shorten someone's time in purgatory

Although they were not written down in a systematic form at the time, the reformers fought for what today

is known as the five Solas:

Sola Scriptura (“Scripture alone”): The Bible alone is our highest authority.

Sola Fide (“faith alone”): We are saved through faith alone in Jesus Christ.

Sola Gratia (“grace alone”): We are saved by the grace of God alone.

Solus Christus (“Christ alone”): Jesus Christ alone is our Lord, Savior, and King.Soli Deo Gloria (“to the glory of God alone”):

We live for the glory of God alone.

The sola that caused the most debate (now and still today) is the idea of Sola Scriptura

The idea of Sola Scriptura undermined the office of Pope, and the infallibility of the Catholic Church

Sola Scriptura espouses the idea that the Bible is the only infallible rule of faith that we have been given

We will spend two classes looking at the topic of Sola Scriptura, and the authority of the Pope and the

Roman Catholic Church, but for now we just want you to know what the issues were at the time

Martin Luther got married eventually to a lady named Catherine Von Bora, who he married just the spite the

Pope (although they had a good marriage)

Luther did many debates against both Catholics and Protestants on different topics

Against Catholics he would debate the issues we’ve been discussing

Against Protestants like Ulrich Zwingli (an important reformer) he would debate things like communion,

which multiple views had formed in regard to.

Luther was a very black and white individual, and was not very classy when dealing with people of opposing

beliefs (Protestants or Catholics)

“Your words are so foolishly and ignorantly composed that I cannot believe you understand them.” M.L.

“I would not smell the foul odor of your name.” M.L.

“There you are, like butter in sunshine.” M.L.

One of the highlights in Luther’s life is when he was summoned to the Diet of Worms

Luther began his trip to Worms on April 2, 1521. The journey to the Imperial Diet did not embody the

repentance the church had hoped for. The journey to Worms was more like a victory march; Luther was

welcomed enthusiastically in all of the towns he went through. He preached in Erfurt, Gotha and Eisenach.

He arrived in Worms on April 16 and was also cheered and welcomed by the people.

Luther's appearance at the Imperial Diet was described as objective, clever and well thought out.

He had to appear before the Emperor twice; each time he was

clearly told to take back his teachings. Luther didn't see any proof against his theses or views

which would move him to recant:

"Unless I am convinced by Scripture and plain reason - I do not accept the authority of the popes and

councils, for they have contradicted each other - my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and I will not recant anything for to go against conscience

is neither right nor safe. God help me. Amen."

After he left the negotiations room, he said "I am finished." Luther was dismissed, and not arrested

because he had a letter of safe conduct (Schutzbrief) which guaranteed him 21 days of safe travel through

the land. He headed home on April 25.

When Luther and the princes who supported him left Worms, the emperor imposed an Imperial Act

(Wormser Edikt): Luther is declared an outlaw (he may be killed by anyone without punishment)

On the trip home, Friedrich the Wise allowed Luther to be

kidnapped on May 4th. This took place on the one hand to guarantee

Luther's safety and on the other hand to let him disappear from the

scene for a short while;

there were even rumors of Luther's death. This action also helped Friedrich not to endanger himself because

he could have been held liable for protecting an outlaw and heretic. Luther was taken to the secluded Wartburg and the Reformation had time to stabilize

and strengthen

While there Luther worked on translating the New Testament into the spoken language of the

German people

This is one of the big changes the reformation brought to the people of Europe

Before, most individuals couldn’t read the Bible unless they knew Latin, most didn’t know what was being

said in Mass, most didn’t even know the words to the songs they would sing (the reformation started

singing on the modern language).

The Bible came alive to people because of the translating work that was being done, people could

read it for themselves and see what it says

The translation of the Bible into the peoples language was a pivotal part in the

reformation

Luther began to get ill in his old age, and on Feb 18th,

1546, Luther passed away

Even though Luther was the one who started the reformation, it did not end with him

John Calvin (1509-1564)

was the founder of world Protestantism. He was the real brain-power of the Reformation, the synthesizer and, to a certain extent, its theological systematizer, despite the fact that he was a quarter-century the

junior of Luther and Zwingli and of the second generation of the Reformation.

Unlike other reformers, John Calvin had time to think through many issues and form a systematic theology,

Luther spent his entire life addressing whatever happened to come up

Calvin was a French layman, who had studied theology in Paris with the intention of the priesthood

before changing to law. He also studied classical languages and received a thorough education.

Calvin had grown up on Reformation ideas–he was eleven years old when Luther was excommunicated.

France was hostile to the Reformation, so Calvin fled to Basel. There he made his first major contribution to

Protestantism with his Institutes of the Christian Religion, the initial edition of which appeared in Latin

in 1536 and which made Calvin famous.

Calvin had his base of operation in Geneva. Calvin made the city his home and sought to establish it as

an authentic, model Christian community, as the pattern to be followed

When you mention Calvin though, everyone thinks of one thing:

“God preordained, for his own glory and the display of His attributes of mercy and justice, a part of the human race, without any merit of their own, to eternal salvation, and another part, in just punishment of their sin, to eternal

damnation.” - John Calvin

The entire Calvinism vs. Armenians debate didn’t even start in Calvin’s life time

Calvin didn’t invent the idea of predestination by any means, he followed the teachings of Augustine

The message of the Reformation spread quickly throughout Europe (except Russia). The Scandinavian countries became firmly Protestant under Gustavus I of Sweden and Frederick I of Denmark and Norway;

later attempts to win them back to Catholicism failed.

There would be many wars fought, persecution of protestants, and other movements that arose

during this time, like the Anabaptists.

The divisions within Protestantism were from the beginning sharp, and attempts to reconcile Calvinist,

Lutheran, and other doctrine had only partial success.

Titus 3:5A: “not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us”

Memory Verse for the week

Roadmap for this six week class Catholicism and the Protestant Reformation

Session 1 – Catholicism and the Protestant reformation Session 2 –The PapacySession 3 – Sola Scriptura vs. Tradition and the ChurchSession 4 – Marian DogmasSession 5 – The Mass Session 6 – Purgatory and Indulgences