THE PROTESTANT REFORMATIONChapter 1 Section 3

NOT EXACTLY DISNEYWORLD Europe isn’t exactly the happiest place on Earth to be right

now. Despite the new accumulation of wealth, new technologies

and the spread of literacy Haves vs. have nots Rapid change => uncertainty => fear => anger!

x Wealth distributed unevenly + Little economic mobilityx Humanist ideas spread due to:1. Advances in technology

(printing press)2. Unhappy, easily influenced public

Do you think that people are more receptive to ideas when times are good or times are bad? Where else have you seen

this before? Time periods? Events?

Very Angry People

MO’ MONEY, MO’ PROBLEMS The Church had a lot of

expensesFought invasions of Monarchs who tried to invade the Papal States and control the ChurchFought Italian Princes for political power

Fought to expand its own interests

CAN’T FORGET ABOUT THE POPE! Popes led lavish lives

Supported the arts and tried to beautify their churches…(Michelangelo – Sistene Chapel)

Needed money to do soSo where did the Church get the money?Increased fees for marriages and baptisms

Sold indulgencesWhat’s an indulgence? - An indulgence was a lessening of the time a soul would have to spend in purgatory. Only granted for good deeds until late 1400’s.

TIMES, THEY WERE A CHANGIN’! Key point: In the Middle Ages, the Church had granted

indulgences only for good deeds BUT by the late 1400s, they could be bought with money!

Key questions: Can one buy one’s way into heaven? Is giving up one’s money a sign of true faith and

devotion? What if one doesn’t have the money to buy

such indulgences? Are their priorities wrong?

SOOOOOOOO………………. What economic class do you think

the buyers of the indulgences were from? Rich or poor?

Let’s take a look: a picture’s worth a thousand words!

Time for a Picture Analysis

ISRAHEL VAN MECKENEM OF THE MASS OF SAINT GREGORY, 1490S

ARE YOU TELLING ME NO ONE SAID ANYTHING ABOUT THE CHURCH BEFORE 1500?

NO! Long before the Protestant Reformation, a few thinkers protested against the Church!

EARLY REVOLTS AGAINST THE CHURCH… England -1300’s John Wycliffe launched a

systematic attack against the church. Used sermons and writings to call for change.

Even after his death followers still met to keep the movement alive.

John Hus, born 40 years after Wycliffe, in what is now the Czech Republic, all called for reform!

Hus said people should read the Bible for themselves & get both wine + bread at communion.

What was the verdict?

A DIFFERENT KIND OF FIRED UP! Death! John Hus was literally burned at

the stake!

Spiezer Chronik's depiction of the death of Jan Hus, 1485

INTR0DUCING THE MAIN MOVER & SHAKER OF THE PROTESTANT REFORMATION…. Martin Luther

Hero or Heretic- teaching things that are declared wrong by the church

Fun Fact:Was going to be a lawyer but was almost struck by lightening and decided to be a priest.

Posted his 95 Theses on Halloween, at the time a holy day (one of the best times guaranteeing that everyone would see it)

German monk and professor of theology

“Church is a corrupt middleman between men and God”

THE STRAW THAT BROKE THE CAMEL’S BACK!

In 1517, a priest named Johann Tetzel started selling indulgences on the outskirts of Wittenberg

Money went to construction at the Cathedral of St. Peter in Rome

Tetzel claimed that the purchase of these indulgences would guarantee entry into heaven for them AND their dead relatives!!!!!!

WHOA!!!!!!

95 THESES – WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT? This marks the beginning of the Protestant Reformation

(break away from the Catholic Church) Selling indulgences was not Bible-based, was sinful, and had no power to erase sinSaid Pope had no authority to release souls from

purgatoryCriticized the power of the pope and the wealth of the church (more money and power = more problems!)Believed Christians could be saved through faith alone!

Were written in Latin – the academic language – Intended for Church leaders

SPREAD THE GOOD WORD So obviously Luther caused quite a stir.

So much so that a Diet was called on his behalf. Not that kind of

diet!Diet is another word for a meeting or assembly.

In this case Luther’s meeting was called the Diet of Worms

This meeting was arranged by the Catholic Church.

LET’S GET READY TO RUMBLE!!!!... KINDA…

In reaction to this “Lutheran” Controversy:Almost overnight, 95 Theses distributed

across Europe1521: Pope Leo X excommunicated Luther!1521: Charles V, King of Spain & Holy Roman Emperor, summoned Luther to the Diet of WormsLuther went, expecting to defend

himself.Instead, he was ordered to recant to which he refused!Declared an outlaw: was illegal to give him food or shelter

Lucky for Luther many German Princes were Lutheran, aka followers. This probably helped Luther keep his head during all of this.

1529: Charles V issued a protestatio, aka a protest, against Luther and his supporters. This is how the term Protestant came to be.

LUTHER GOT THE PROTESTANT BALL ROLLING! Ulrich Zwingli brought Luther’s ideas to

Switzerland.The base of his religion was theocracy, which is a government in which church and state are joined and in which officials are considered to be divinely inspired.

Martin Luther opposed Zwingli and said he was tampering with the word of God.

Because the Swiss Protestants didn’t have the support of Lutherans, they stood alone which left them vulnerable to attacks by neighboring Catholics.

This is actually how Zwingli died, violent attack.

R.I.P. Ulrich

Zwingli

CONTINUED…. John Calvin was the second most

important reformer during the Reformation.Preached

predestination, which is the belief that God knows who will be saved and who won’t be, way before they are even born.

This meant that, according to Calvin, humans could do no wrong or no right because they couldn’t change their predestined outcome

AND THE BEAT GOES ON! ROLLIN’, ROLLIN’, ROLLIN’

Calvin’s movement took root in Geneva, SwitzerlandThe city became a theocracy and strict laws were

enacted that regulated people’s behavior.

Church attendance was mandatory

Amusements such as feasting, dancing, singing, wearing jewelry were forbidden.

ARE WE DONE?

Well, this power point is!

But a counterreformation is on the way!

In the meantime, think about the power

of religion & the role it has played in

history? AND what about Martin Luther:

Hero or Heretic?