Resistance and the Catholic Counter Reformation

The Political Battle over Lutheranism

• Lutheranism spread throughout northern Germany and into Scandinavia

• Emperor Charles V resisted– Wanted to preserve religious unity– Allied with the Pope

• Unable to do so because of: – Habsburg-Valois Wars– And a Turkish threat in Hungary

Habsburg (Hapsburg) Lands

The Peasant’s War (German Peasants Revolt)

• Twelve Articles– Peasants demanded end of serfdom, tithes,

etc. – Inspired by Luther’s teachings

• Luther does not support them– Demands that they obey their princes– Encourages the princes to stamp out revolt

• As many as 100,000 peasants died

Resistance in Germany

• League of Schmalkalden, 1531– Formed by the new Protestant princes to

resist the invasion of Charles V– Francis I of France allies with the League

• Habsburg-Valois Wars– Five wars between 1521-1555– France tried to keep Germany divided

• Charles is forced to give up uniting Germany in Catholicism

The Peace of Augsburg, 1555

• Princes in Germany could choose wither Protestantism or Catholicism– People were permitted to move into new

states according to religion• Permanent religious divide- not until 1871

will they unite

The Catholic Counter Reformation and the Catholic

Reformation

The Catholic Counter Reformation

• Pope Paul III (1534-1549)– Did not institute new

doctrines but attempted to reform the church through existing doctrine

– Response to Protestantism and critics who said the church should be reformed

The Council of Trent• 3 sessions 1545-1563• Equal validity of

Scripture, Church traditions and the writings of the Church Fathers

• Salvation by both “good works” and faith

• All 7 sacraments were valid

• Monasticism• Celibacy of the clergy• Purgatory reaffirmed

Reforms

• The Index of Forbidden Books– Books that supported Protestantism – Any one caught with these books could be

punished severely • Reformed

– Sale of indulgences– Sale of church offices– Bishops given greater control over the clergy– Seminaries established to train priests

New Religious Orders

• The Jesuits (Soceity of Jesus)– Goals

• To reform the church through education• Spread the Gospel to pagan peoples• Fight Protestantism

– Ignatious Loyola- founder – Organized in a military fashion– Oversaw the Spanish and Italian Inquisitions

• Persecution of Jews and Muslims

Results

• Brought southern Gemany and eastern Europe back to Catholicism

• Heresy stamped out in the Papal States and Italy– Inquisition

• Jesuit schools became some of the finest in Europe