The Reformation

Part I: Protestant Reformation

16thC religious revolt against the authority and doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church

--Creation of non-Catholic Christian churches

--New ways of thinking about religion

Reformation Defined

Causes of the ReformationPolitical - Resentment of Church courts and Church claims

of supremacy over civil authority - Nationalist loyalties against “foreign” popes or

against Italian dominated papacy

Economic - Envy of Church wealth and desire to confiscate

Church properties - Resentment of Tithe –especially when it flowed

from other countries to Rome

Intellectual - Influence of Renaissance humanism - New questioning attitude that led to doubts

about Church authority

- Loss of prestige due to Babylonian Captivity and Great

Schism - Church abuses

**Ideas spread rapidly with help of printing press

Church Abuses

Worldliness – the luxurious and materialistic life of certain popes and clergy

Nepotism - appointing relatives to Church offices regardless of ability

Simony – selling appointments to Church offices

Sale of indulgences

Early Reformers

Wycliffe—England

1328-1384Condemned

wealth & worldliness of Church

Translated Bible into English

Jan Hus—Bohemia

- burned at the stake

Unsuccessful but helped pave the way for later success

Martin Luther

Begins the Reformation

Oct 31, 1517 Wittenberg,

Germany Posted 95 Theses Objection to sale of

indulgences

Martin Luther

Ordered to recant by the Pope Refusal to submit

Excommunication

Diet of Worms Charles V Edict of Worms

Martin Luther Protected by

Frederick of Saxony

Published writings while in hidingTranslated Bible

into GermanLutheran Church

established

Luther’s Teachings

FAITH ALONE – good works not necessary for salvation

Religious authority resided only in the Scriptures; pope did not speak for God

Only 2 sacraments – Baptism and Eucharist

Priesthood of all believers – priests have no special position

Political Consequences

Protestant Princes - gained political power and wealth by supporting

Lutheranism

Peasant Wars - new sense of freedom, challenged political authority over

them

Wars 1530s- 40s – Protestants vs Catholics - Charles V

- PEACE OF AUGSBURG 1555– Princes allowed to choose the religion for own state (Catholicism or Lutheranism)

Zwingli (Zurich)

Swiss Priest Joined Reformation in

1519 Simplified mass &

convinced political leaders of city to remove it from papal control

Formed first protestant state outside Germany

Died in battle at age 47

Calvin (Geneva)

French priest/lawyer INSTITUTES OF THE

CHRISTIAN RELIGION (most definitive description of protestant beliefs)

Geneva looking for a Protestant leader

Calvin established a THEOCRACY

Teachings led to movements in other countries

Predestination

Main premise to Calvinism Idea that, even before birth, a soul’s

salvation or damnation has been determined

Nothing can change this predetermined outcome

Those predestined to be saved were called the ELECT

Protestant Work Ethic

Those predestined for heaven were still expected to lead a moral life on earth – to work hard and to be thrifty.

These virtues fostered the growth of CAPITALISM, which flourished in countries with strong Calvinist groups.

STRICT DISCIPLINE

Attempt to regulate people’s conduct in order to create a godly city on earth

Banned card playing, gambling, dancing, etc.

Public punishment

Consequences Promoted Protestant Work Ethic

Promoted Capitalism

Promoted Democracy – through encouragement of participation in church government

Through Puritans (and others) established basis of American culture

Spread of Calvinism

Scotland --John Knox, Presbyterians

France – Huguenots

Netherlands –Dutch Reform

England --Puritans

England: A Different Road

Henry VIII“Defender of the Faith”

Broke with Church b/c1. Pope refused to grant Henry a divorce from Catherine of Aragon.

2. Henry wanted control of Church wealth in England.

Act of Supremacy (1534) – Created the Church of England with the monarch as its head

Growth of Church of England

Henry VIII

no significant changes in doctrine or practice

executed objectors for treason

Edward VI moderate Protestant reforms

Book of Common Prayer persecution of Catholics who objected to changes

BLOODY MARY Daughter of Henry VIII and Catherine of

Aragon

Devout Catholic

Married to King of Spain Philip II

Goal: Restore Catholicism to England

Method: Persecution & execution of Protestants

Elizabeth I Restored Church of England with monarch as head Religious moderate (compromise) Most concerned with political unity of England Allowed Catholics to practice religion but restricted political rights

1588 - Defeated Spanish Armada sent by Philip II to conquer England and to restore Catholicism

Radical Reformers: Anabaptists

Name given to protestant sects that rejected infant baptism

Sought radical social changes abolition of private propertyreligious tolerationseparation of church & state

Considered threat to traditional order Persecuted by Protestants & Catholics

Today, Baptists, Quakers, Mennonites, and Amish trace roots to Anabaptists

Europe after the Reformation

Part II - Catholic Reformation

Also called Counter-Reformation

Church’s efforts to stop the spread of Protestantism

Effective Leadership:

Pope Paul III

Began reform movement within the Church

Followed by series of capable, energetic popes

Council of Trent

1545 – 1563 Reaffirmed basic Catholic Doctrine Prohibited abuses Required clergy to renounce worldly pleasures Established schools for clergy

Efforts to Prevent Spread of Protestantism

The “Index”

List of books Catholics were forbidden to read

Included works by Luther, Calvin, and even Erasmus

THE INQUISITION

Church courts established to fight heresy and stop the

spread of Protestantism

Especially effective in Italy and Spain

Jesuits (Society of Jesus)

Founded by Ignatius Loyolla

Helped preserve Catholicism in Poland, southern Germany, andBelgium

Won new converts in India, China, Japan, and North America

Religious Wars 1. Civil Wars in Germany Catholic vs. Lutheran rulers

Peace of Augsburg 1555

2. Dutch War Against Spain Protestant Dutch revolt against their

Catholic ruler, Philip II of Spain after he tries to ruthlessly suppress Protestantism in Holland.

Declare independence in 1581 (recognized by Spain in 1648)

3. Spanish Naval War Against England

- English privateers attack Spanish ships and New World colonies - England supports Dutch in Holland

- Desire to depose Elizabeth I and restore Catholicism to England

Spanish Armada sent to invade England in 1588. Fails.

4. Civil Wars in France Protestant and Catholic claims to

French throne result in civil war. (most famous incident = St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre)

1589, Henry of Navarre, a Protestant, becomes King Henry IV.

--adopts Catholicism (“Paris is worth a mass.”)

-- issues the EDICT of NANTES (1598) granting religious freedom to the Huguenots

5. Thirty Year’s War 1618 -1648 Starts with Defenestration of Prague

Short Term Effects of the Reformation

Growth of Protestant Religions

Increased Persecution of “Heretics”

End of European Religious Unity

Religious Wars (16th & 17th Centuries)

Strengthening of Civil Authority

Long Term Effects of the Reformation

Encouragement of Education

Step toward religious tolerance

Increase in democracy