Revolt and Reform

Chapter 10

List causes or situations which you believe led to a call for reform within the Church.

Indulgences• John Tetzel

• Misunderstanding about the meaning of indulgences – Claimed that indulgences granted salvation

• Luther believed that somewhere people had confused and forgotten the message of Jesus

List 3 types of “security” that people try to sell today.

For one of these types of security, describe how the

typical methods of selling it arelike or unlike Tetzel’s sales pitches for selling

indulgences.

Extravagant Lifestyle of Church Leaders

• Church leaders were secular leaders too– A bishop who was a “prince of the Church”

was also a prince in the real world– They would live like any other prince would

• Pope sometimes put his secular rule above the spiritual welfare of the church

Buying and Selling Church Offices

• Wealthy families controlled the church

• Church leaders had no training

Poorly trained and uneducated lower clergy

• The plague

• No formal training

• Members of lower class

• Had unofficial families

• Superstitions– Having mass said became viewed as more

beneficial than going to mass

Spirituality of Laypeople• Religious communities of lay people

formed

• Connects to Luther’s idea of priesthood of all believers

Spirit of the Renaissance• Protestants don’t like so much money

being put into churches, sculptures and painting

• Protestants downplay human potential apart from God– Humans are powerless/worthless without

God

Nationalism• Local leaders were responsible for both

religious and secular affairs

• Reformation could spread from one nation to the next one at a time

Discovery of New Lands• 1492

• Became a less closed society

• Open to the vast world

Invention of the printing press

• 4% of Germany could read

• Bibles to base the Reformation on

Consider a time when you felt misunderstood by

someone you care about (teacher, friend, parent).

How did it make you feel? What was your

response? What was their response?

Luther• 1483-1546• Wittenberg, Germany• Bible Scholar• Catholic Monk• Protestant Reformation in 1517• 95 Theses

– Statements about sin and its forgiveness, the meaning of indulgences, and the popes power to grant

Problems with Indulgences• Bemoaned indulgences granted

salvation

• People relied too heavily on external practices for salvation

• Infrequently going to Mass and confession

Rome and Pope• Many resented them for taking their

money• Luther: Questioned popes authority to

grant indulgences• Leo X was not concerned• Bishops and Cardinals were

– They felt that Luther was questioning papal authority

– Luther writes letter to explain– Cardinals call him to Rome

Luther’s Hardened Convictions

1. On Papal Authority• Pope and his councils were not the final

authority on matters of faith

• Scriptures were authoritative

• Pope had power but only given by humans

• Jesus gave Peter & Apostles authority– Can’t be passed on

2. On Grace vs. Works• People are saved solely by grace of

God

• Cannot earn salvation through works

3. On the Bible as the sole Supreme Authority

• Opposed the Church’s view of Scripture and Tradition

Luther Excommunicated• 1520

• Hung the notice in towns

• Luther refused to recant—heretic

• Duke Fredrick “kidnapped”

• Translated Bible to German

• 10 months later returned to Wittenberg

Still Catholic?• Wanted to reform not divide• He said…• 2 possibly 3 sacraments• Believed in the real presence of the Eucharist• People didn’t need a go between with God• Priesthood of all believers• Priest could marry• Reforms not innovations

Augsburg Confession• Phillip Melanchthon

• 1530

• Composed document

• Catholic and Lutheran followers agree and should compromise

• Catholic theologians condemned

• The Lutheran church emerged

The Peasant’s Revolt• Peasants took seriously the priesthood

of believers and wanted equality

• Luther sided with nobles

• 1524-1525 Revolt

• Luther condemned violence

• 130,000 peasants died

• Nobles blamed Luther

Rulers Choose Religion for Region

• Catholics were given right to practice everywhere

• Lutherans were restricted

• Protested— Protestants

• 1555 Peace of Augsburg– Local ruler can choose religion– Choose based on political reasons

Calvinism• John Calvin- Frenchman• Took Luther’s ideas further• Believed in the supreme authority of the

scriptures• Rejected the Catholic form of the Mass• Rejected Christ’s real presence in the

Eucharist• Calvin advocated simple Church worship• Wrote The Institutes of the Christian Religion

A Strict Intolerant Theocracy

• Theocracy: complete integration of Church and state

• Geneva, Switzerland

• Passed strict laws

• Rigid adherence to moral principles

• Became intolerant of other religious beliefs

Beliefs

• All laws based on the bible, but people are not to interpret the bible for themselves, submit to elders

• Belief in predestination– People are destined for either eternal damnation

or eternal salvation– Only select few are saved– Can’t know who is saved, but a good indication is

living a moral life and being a good member of society

– There are no accidents, God knows all and causes all to happen

Henry VIII• No son to succeed him

• Wanted a divorce

• Clement VII refused– Moral– Political

Church of England• Developed a state sponsored church• Required loyalty from the bishops• Act of Supremacy: declared English

monarch as head of the Church of England

• People were required to take an oath acknowledging kings supremacy

• Sir Thomas More-Catholic who was executed

• Very Catholic in theology

• Anglicans, Episcopalians

The Catholic Response

Catholic Counter-Reformation

Or Catholic Reformation

Or Counter Reformation

Pope Paul III

• Called meetings between Catholics and Lutherans – broke down over meaning of the Eucharist

• Called a Council at Trent- 1545 -1563• Two purposes:

– Bring Protestants and Catholic together– State clearly the principle teachings of the Church

• Lutherans refused to attend

• Renewal of the Church founded by Jesus– No essentials were rejected

• Popes, Cardinals, bishops and theologians

• What does it mean to be a good Catholic?

Doctrine, Practices, Worship

Results Reason

•Scriptures•Church has final word on Scriptural interpretation•Faith based on Scripture and Tradition

•Luther: interpreted by the individual•Scripture alone

Salvation based on grace and works

Inspired by grace

Calvin: Predestination

Luther: grace alone

7 Sacraments, real presence of Christ in the Eucharist

Protestants found only Baptism and Eucharist in scriptures

Original Sin: passed through birth, therefore, infants must be baptized

Calvin and Anabaptists said there is no original sin and practiced adult baptism

Justified by grace, justice and mercy of God, exemplified by good works

Luther said we are justified by faith alone

•Mass–Latin–Sacrifice

•Transubstantiation

•Reformers denied•Services were in the language of the people

•Communion–Both forms not received–Children could receive

•People shared cup•Calvin: children were not able to receive

•Devotional Practices–Honoring Mary, saints, Rosary, holy water, statues, relics

•Luther and others did away with saints and other devotionals

Bishops and priests:

Live in diocese, eliminate abuses surrounding indulgences, seminaries, celibacy

Corruption of priests and bishops, poorly trained priests

New books:•Index•Catechism•Brievary•Missal

Stop Catholics from reading books that go against Catholic teaching, Clarify beliefs, priest corruption, standardize Mass

Result

• Reform – not unity – too late

• Positive outcomes– Needed reforms– Religious orders – rules– New religious orders to help reform– Standardized practices and well defined

discipline – guided church to Vatican II

Homework:• Reflection: How is the Catholic

Reformation different from the Protestant Reformation? Which method of change and decision making do you see as more effective?

New Religious Orders

• Ignatius Loyola – Jesuits

• Teresa of Avila – reformed Carmelites

Ignatius of Loyola• “Soldier for Christ”• Injured• Only life according to the Gospels had

meaning• Pilgrimage to Holy Land• Became priest• Develops a process for deep conversion-

Spiritual Exercises• Started Jesuits-15 years of study• Started universities and seminaries• Good Catholic education would ensure loyalty

to the Church

Teresa of Avila• Carmelite nun

• Felt monastery lacked quiet focus on God

• Started St. Joseph’s – Live simply, pray regularly, meditate– Discalced-without shoes

• Called to found all over Spain

• Good sense of humor

• Interior Castle: in the center of every person’s soul is God

Implications

• Need for reform is ongoing – though guided by the Holy Spirit – still a human institution– Still criticism from within– Still silencing critics– Ecumenical dialogue since Vatican II –

Catholics, Lutherans and Anglicans are resolving many differences

• Nationalism and politics today

• Council of Trent – shaped discipline and practice for 400 years; innovation and ongoing renewal is difficult