The Reformation
I. Intellectual changes in Europe, 1500 -
A. Print Revolution Gutenberg
1. Christian Humanism
2. Renaissance Humanism
3. Exploration / Age of Discovery
4. Millennialism
II. The Protestant Reformation
Revolution and Reaction
A. Church status
1. Renaissance
2. Simony, Pluralism, Nepotism
3. Indulgences
4. Pilgrimages
- Enhanced spirituality
B. Martin Luther 1483-1546
1. 95 Theses Oct. 30, 1517
taking it to the streets
2. Luther’s guilt complex- Law & Grace
- Paul: “The Just shall live by Faith”
Galatians
C. 3 Tenets of Faith
1. Sola Fide
- Salvation by Faith Alone
2. Sola Scriptura
- Literal interpretation of the Bible
3. Priesthood of All Believers
D. Luther to Lutheranism
1. Class and religion
- Swabian Peasant Revolt 1520s
- Appeal to merchant/urban classes
“Protestant Work Ethic”
capitalism / calling
2. Women and Protestantism- alternative to convents- education
Katharine von Bora
3. Appeal to the nobility
- Papacy and HRE were human institutions
1520 - Appeal to the Christian Nobility of the
German Nation
* Luther links religious identity with national identity
4. The Diet of Worms 1521
- HRE Charles V
- Frederick “The Wise” of Saxony
III. Reformation of the Radicals, 1530s -
The Democratization of Christianity
A. Task of the New Reformers
1. Systematization - Reformation of Roman Church not possible
- build a new set of institutions
2. Reform of society and religion
B. Geneva and John Calvin
1. 1536 - Swiss vote to become Protestant
2. John Calvin
- The Institutes of the Christian Religion
C. Reform (Calvinist) Theology
1. Predestination- Grace was free gift, but not always accepted
2. Theocracy?- only the elect should govern church/society
- experimental societies (Utopias)
D. The Ghost of John Calvin
1. Problem of Predestination
2. Puritanism- Moderation
- Low Church
3. Conversion process- personal redemption
- social/political reform
4. Rise of modern capitalism
5. Intolerance / paranoia
- world full of secular, civil enemies
- “democratic” Christianity prone to hysteria
E. Anabaptists
1. Rejection of society
- communalism