1. Crises of the 14th & 15th centuries hurt the prestige of the Clergy

a. Babylonian Captivity

b. Great Schism

c. Conciliar Movement

2. Corruption in the Church

a.Simony : sale of church offices (jobs)

b.Pluralism: an official holding more than one office at a time

c.Absenteeism: an official receiving payment but not performing job

d.Sale of Indulgences: people paying to have sins absolved

e.Nepotism: favoring family members when appointing positions

f. Moral decline of the papacy

g. Clerical Ignorance: many priests were virtually illiterate

John Wyclif (1329-1384) of England

John Hus (1369-1415) of Czech

The Brethren of the Common Life: Thomas Kempis, The Imitation of Christ

Eramus: In Praise of Folly

Criticized the corruption in the church and the hypocrisy of the clergy

a. Textual criticisms and new translations of the Bible undermined Catholic Authority

b. Paper

c. Ulrich Zwingli was trained as a humanist used Erasmus’s translation of the Greek New Testament

d. John Calvin: inf. By Humanism, esp Erasmus

e. After Martin Luther’s reformation, humanists turned many monasteries into schools

In the end the reformers, like Luther, established their own religions

The Reformation caused a split in Christianity with the formation of these new Protestant religions

Martin Luther

John Calvin

Henry VIII

1. Augustinian monk; taught at the University of Wittenberg in Saxony Germany

2. Johann Tetzel was authorized by Pope Leo X to sell indulgences

He became troubled over the possibility of not going to heaven

He turned to the Bible, and confession for comfort

In the Bible he found the answer he was looking for

“The righteous shall by his faith.”

Luther realized that only faith (in the ultimate goodness of Jesus), not good deeds, could save a person. No good works, rituals, etc. would save a person if they did not believe.

“The righteous shall by his faith.”

Luther realized that only faith (in the ultimate goodness of Jesus), not good deeds, could save a person. No good works, rituals, etc. would save a person if they did not believe.

1. Luther criticized the selling of indulgences

2. Historical debate about where Luther sent his 95 Theses

3. The printing press spread Luther’s work across Europe

A list of things he thought were wrong with the Catholic Church (95 Complaints)

He criticized:

The Power of the Pope

The Extreme Wealth of the Church

Indulgences (Catholic concept of Salvation)

Gutenberg’s Printing Press made it possible for Luther to spread his beliefs

Posted his 95 Theses on Church doors in Germany

Gained support from people and criticism from Church

1. Initially, the pope viewed the issue of Luther’s 95 Theses as a disagreement between Augustinian & Dominican monks

2. Defied pope & continued with his crusade

a. He was protected by Prince Frederick III of Saxony

b. Luther did not seek to create a new church but rather to reform the Catholic Church

3. Leipzig Debate of 1520 – Luther vs. Johann Eck (great Catholic theologian)

a. Luther argued the infallibility of the pope

b. Claimed the church had made a mistake when they executed Jon Hus for heresy

c. Point of no return for Luther

3. Leipzig Debate of 1520 – Luther vs. Johann Eck (great Catholic theologian)

a. Luther argued the infallibility of the pope

b. Claimed the church had made a mistake when they executed Jon Hus for heresy

c. Point of no return for Luther

•The first thing printed on Gutenberg’s press was the Bible.

•This is a picture of a page from one of Gutenberg’s Bibles.

4. 1520 = Luther published his theology of reforma.Salvation is achieved by faith aloneb.Bible is the sole authorityc.Only 2 sacraments are valid – baptism & communiond.Church consists of a “priesthood of all believers” e.Criticized indulgences & simony

4. cont…f. Encouraged German princes to reform the churches within their principalitiesg. The church was not subject to the

pope’s interpretationh. Rejected the idea that monks should live in poverty, chastity & obedience

5. Luther was thus excommunicated by Pope Leo X in 1520

Luther threw the Papal Bull (papal

order) which excommunicated him

into a fire thus suggesting that he

did not believe the pope had any spiritual authority

6. The Diet of Wormsa. Tribunal of the HRE with power to outlaw and sentence

execution via burning at the stake

b. Charles V insisted Luther recantc. Luther refusedd. Edict of Worms (ruling) Luther

declared an outlaw

D. 1523 Luther translated the Bible into the vernacular, profoundly influencing the development of the modern German language

E. Confessions of Augsburg (1530)1.Written by Luther’s friend, Philip Melanchthon2.This was an attempted compromise statement of religious faith to unite Lutheran and catholic princes of the HRE

A. Spread of Lutheranism1. Many German states in the North

turned to Lutheranism2. Denmark & Sweden b/c Lutheran states

as well3. Lutheranism did no spread much

beyond northern Germany and Scandinavia

B. Emperor Charles V sought to stop Protestantism and preserve the hegemony of Catholicism1.In this sense, Charles was like a medieval emperor in that he was trying to maintain religious unity in Europe2.Charles was preoccupied with the Turkish threat in Hungary and his dynastic struggle with Francis I of France

He was the Pope during the height of the corruption

1. Twelve Articles, 1525: peasants demanded end o serfdom & tithes, and other practices of feudalism that oppressed the peasantry (like hunting rights

2. Luther’s views on the peasant movement were somewhat conservative

3. As many as 100,000 peasants died during the uprising

*** Martin Luther DID NOT APPROVE OF THE PEASANTS WAR!!!!! Said we should obey our political authorities!!!!

1. League of Schmalkalden, 1531

a. Formed by protestant princes to defend themselves against Charles V

b. Francis I of France joined the League (because he did not trust Charles V)

2. Habsburg-Valois Wars: Basically a war between Francis I & Charles V

Why??

a. France had tried to keep Germany divided

b. France prevented Germany from unification

3. Charles hated France and was finally victorious over the League in 1547

a. However by that time Lutheranism had spread to central Europe

b. Charles V gave up trying to restore Catholicism to Germany

E. Peace of Augsburg (1555)

1. Temporarily ended the struggle in Germany over Lutheranism

2. Provisions (rules of peace)

a. Princes could choose Protestant or Catholic for their people

b. Protestants living in Catholic regions free to move and same for Catholics

E. Peace of Augsburg (1555)

3. Resulted in permanent religious division of Germany

a. Essentially reaffirmed the independence of many German states

b. This division stunted German nationalism; Germany was not unified as a state until 1871

A.Anabaptists (formed in1525)

1. Characteristics

a. Voluntary association of believers with no connection or allegiance to any state

b.Did not believe in childhood baptism since only adults could make the decision to commit to Christ

c. As millenaries, they believed the end of the world was near

d. Rejected the idea of the Trinity

e. Historians consider them to be the “left wing” of the protestants

3. Long-term impact of Anabaptistsa.Mennonites: Founded by Dutch leader Menno Simmons b/c descendants of Anabaptistsb.Quakers: in England shared similar beliefs; and controlled Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delawarec.Unitarians: (rejected the trinity

E. Peace of Augsburg (1555)

3. Resulted in permanent religious division of Germany

a. Essentially reaffirmed the independence of many German states

b. This division stunted German nationalism; Germany was not unified as a state until 1871

“May little chickens dig out your eyes 100,000 times.”

- Calvin speaking to another reformer whose ideas he disagreed with

Most significant of the new Protestant sects!!!!!

a. Frenchman; studied to be a priest and later trained as a lawyer

b. Influenced by humanism, especially Erasmus

c. Exiled to Switzerland due to his reform ideas

2. Institutes of the Christian Religion

a.Calvin’s book and foundational work for Calvinism

b.Predestination: since God is all-knowing, he already knows who is going to Heaven and who is destined for Hell

c. The “elect” are church members who have had their conversion experience. They should b/c model Christians: “Visible Saints”

3. Calvin est. a theocracy in Geneva by 1540

a.Geneva b/c home to Protestant exiles (England, France, Scotland) who later returned home spreading Calvinism

b.Believed Church and state should combine to enforce Christian behavior

c.Only those who committee to following Calvinism were allowed to live in the City

4. Calvinism was the most militant (Military structured) and uncompromsing of all Protestant faiths

5. Protestant Work Ethic: Calvinists later emphasized the importance of hard work and accompanying financial success as a sign that God was pleased

6. Spread of Calvinism: far greater impact on future generations than Lutheranism

a. Presbyterianism = Scotland by John Knox in 1560

b. Huguenots = French Calvinists

c. Dutch Reform Church = United Provinces of the Netherlands

d. Puritans = England

e. Countries where Calvinism did not spread: Ireland, Spain, Italy

Calvin believed in:

Salvation through Predestination

At birth it is decided if you will go to heaven or hell

NO OTHER WAY

Foreknowledge

God knows everything that will happen in your life

Purified approach to life:

No drinking, swearing, card playing, gambling etc..

PuritanHugeunots

Presbyterian

Lived from 1483-1546 in Germany

Father encouraged him to study law

A sudden religious experience inspired him to become a monk

Some Local German Churches accepted Luther’s ideas

Lutheranism was formed

Supported by German Princes who issued a formal “protest” against the Church for suppressing the reforms

The reformers came to be known as [PROTEST]ants - Protestants

“I am fed up with the world, and it with me. I am like a ripe stool, and the world is like a gigantic anus, and so we’re about to let go of each other.”

-Luther