The Protestant Reformation a call for change

Corruption in the Medieval Catholic Church• Popes used excommunication to force monarchs to obey the

Church • Many priests were illiterate• Many clergy broke their vows of chastity• Some officials led lives of luxury and leisure • Some clergy:

– Charged repentant Christians to see holy remains and objects

– Sold church offices to the highest bidder (simony)

– Sold indulgences = ($ exchanged for sins)• The power of the Papacy was weakened by• Printing Press/ Monarchies/ Rise of Mercantilism $

– Great Schism of the 14th century

Early Calls for Reform – Did not change the church, but they brought attention to the problems

• John Wycliffe of England– Thought Christians didn’t need

Church or sacraments to achieve salvation

– Regarded Bible as most important source of religious authority

– Completed first translation of Bible into English

Outcome: the Church persecuted his followers, the Lollards, as heretics

Jan Huss• Criticized wealth of

Church

• Wanted religious services conducted in the language of the worshippers

• Opposed the sale of indulgencesOutcome: Was burned at

stake for refusing to accept importance of church rituals

Catherine of Siena• Popularized Mysticism

“the inner spirit”• Believed people could

experience God through intense prayer– Outcome: Maintained

that Christians didn’t need priests, rituals, or sacraments

– Eventually Sainted

Girolamo Savonarola of Florence

• Renegade Dominican monk• Launched crusade against

immoral society• Encouraged book burning• Claimed Vatican was filled

with sin and corruptionOutcome: Excommunicated &

burned at the stake by angry citizens of Florence Italy

Basis for the Protestant Reformation

• By 1500s, educated Christians calling for a complete change in the Church’s ways and practice of Christianity

• In Germany, the movement for Church reform resulted in a split of the Church

Martin Luther• Son of middle-class townspeople,

became a lawyer then a monk at age 22

• Worried that God may not find him acceptable– Read in Romans: “He who through

faith is righteous shall live”• Luther’s justification of faith belief

stems from this quote

• Disagreed with the Church that salvation was attainable through good works / conformity to Authority

• Believed forgiveness for sins could only come from God not a priest !!

Luther’s Protest of the Church• Luther’s ideas brought him

in conflict with the Church• Pope Leo X selling church

positions and indulgences to rebuild St. Peter’s Basilica – Certificates sold by the

Church to reduce or cancel punishment of sins

– Indulgences were said to be a sure ticket to heaven

• John Tetzel– German Church agent for

selling indulgences– Promised indulgences would

relieve for FUTURE sins– Encouraged people to buy

indulgences for dead relatives• “Once you hear the money’s ring,

the soul from purgatory is free to spring”

• Luther preached against indulgences and nailed on the Wittenberg Church his 95 Theses– Statements criticizing

indulgences and other church policies

• The 95 Theses spread quickly & sale of indulgences declined– Luther published his works– Leo X persuades Luther to

withdraw criticism– 1520- the pope formally

condemns Luther, excommunicates in 1521

• Charles V calls a council to meet in Worms to bring Luther back & get him to take back statement

• Rushed out of Worms and hidden in a castle by Prince Frederick of Saxony

• While in exile, translates New Testament in German

• Luther causes revolt in the H R E– Peasants began to revolt

against their lords, now believing everyone was equal

– 100,000 peasants killed– Princes who wanted

freedom from the Pope, seized Church land

– Peace of Augsburg• Each prince can choose

the religion for their state• Forced people to move in

order to worship freely• Germany split: North –

Lutheran, South - Catholic

Lutheranism• First New Protestant faith

– Emphasized salvation by faith alone

– Emphasized the Bible’s role as the only source of religious truth

– Services centered on Biblical preaching rather than ritual and held in the vernacular “Common language”

– The Church was not a hierarchy of clergy, but community of believers

– Congregations choose their own ministers

– No worship of saints

– Clergy allowed to marry

– The seeds are sown for more radical Protestant movements to transform Europe

Printing Press

Spreads Ideas 1455 Rise of money economy ! $$ Science & Religion clash level of social mobility – middle class

Mercantilism

King Henry VIII1553

Anglican - Church of England State Sponsored Church Breaks all ties to Catholic Church.

Funds 1st printing of the Bible in English

I will decide what's right !

Protestant v. Catholic

Perspective: Catholic

Spiritual Truth Found in the Bible ONLY !

Found in the Bible & Church

Salvation Faith alone & Gods Grace !

Faith and good works/ keep commandments Follow the local Priest.

Church services and the Bible

Vernacular

or“Native language”

Latin / And truth to be offered and interpreted by a Priest.

-Sacraments – “Path to Heaven”

2 Is enough ! Baptism/Church

7 steps to be

completed

Protestant