The ReformationHow it started

Humanism

• Definition: Gaining knowledge through reason, not religious faith. Giving importance to the individual and to society.• Humanism didn’t stop people from having religious faith, but it did

cause them to question things about it.

Problems within the Roman Catholic Church• The church was very concerned about money. And people were

unhappy with their tax policies.• Selling indulgences, which was basically selling a pardon for

someone’s sins.• Bishops were living like Kings and building large castles, etc, for family

members.• Declarations like the one during the crusades that said anyone who

fought would be free of sin.• Disputes in the church, such as who was pope, made people question

their church.

John Wycliffe

• Priest in England in the 1370’s.• Preached that Jesus was the head of the

church, not the Pope.• Said that all religious truth came from the

Bible, and therefore people should be able to read the Bible.• Started the first translation of the Bible into

English (this became the King James Version of the Bible which is the most widely read English translation)

Erasmus

• Christian Humanist who lived in the 1500’s.• Believed people should use reason to become

better Christians.• Said it was not enough to participate in

religious activity, but that it was important how you lived your everyday life.• 1509: wrote a book where he criticized the

church and their focus on money (even said the Pope wasn’t a real Christian!)

The Reformation Project

• You will be creating a booklet with some information about the Reformation.• We will begin this project by coloring in where Christianity was in

Europe before the Reformation (remember there were two brands of Christianity back then).• We will be shading in what different branches emerged around

Europe later.