Problems in Roman Catholic Church

New Ideas. From Ninja Turtles to a Mak Attack

Was the only Christian church in most of Europe

The people of Europe were very devout

Everyone was concerned about going to heaven

Catholics believe in Purgatory-a place between heaven and hell where a soul stays until the person has done penance for any sins

Medieval Catholic Church

Was the only Christian church in most of Europe

The people of Europe were very devout

Everyone was concerned about going to heaven

Medieval Catholic Church

Catholics believe in Purgatory-a place between heaven and hell where a soul stays until the person has done penance for any sinsIf you died with a dirty Soul you would go to either Purgatory or straight to hell.

You had to go to Church and get the Priest to clean your Soul.

If you died with a clean Soul you would go to heaven.

Medieval Catholic Church

If you went on a Crusade or a Pilgrimage you could earn time out of Purgatory

You could buy a special letter from the Pope called an Indulgence which was like a get out of jail for free card but for Purgatory.

What did People believe at the Start of the 16th Century?

Clergy was poorly trained and often illiterate

Higher ranking clergy were more interested in materialism (lifestyle)

Popes needed lots of money to pay for lifestyle, wars, and beautiful cathedrals

Often clergy bought their positions-simony

Indulgences were sold as penance for sins, but often paid for Church projects

Abuses in the Church

People were calling for reform in part

because of corruption in the Catholic Church

Abuses in the Church

• Between 1450 and 1520 a series of popes failed to meet the Church’s spiritual needs. • They were more concerned with the political interests of the Papal States. • Julius II, the “warrior-pope,” even led armies against his enemies. • • Many people were disgusted with him and the Catholic Church.

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Because of trade with Middle East, merchants needed to borrow money to pay for ships and trading goods

The Catholic church banned usury

Usury=lending money at interest

Merchants resented they could only borrow money from non-Christian moneylenders

They began to demand changes.

Some set up banks to lend money-de Medicis

Merchants and the Church

Italians filled many of the high positions in the Catholic Church-bishops, archbishops, popes

All members of Catholic Church had to tithe 10% of their income

Most money went to high clergy positions or to Rome (Italians)

German princes and English royalty disliked Italian domination of the Church

Wanted money to stay in their lands

Italian Domination of Church

Catholic church owned HUGE amounts of land throughout Europe--probably more than 30%

They paid no taxes on this land

Church’s Political Power

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High ranking clergy held political/feudal positions in many lands increasing the Church’s power

The pope ruled as a political leader-he ruled a large part of Italy-the Papal States.

He often fought wars to control and expand his holdings.

Church’s Political Power

Were sold by the Church as a penance for sins

Much of the money went to the pope

The pope needed money to build St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome

He sent Johan Tetzel to Germany to sell indulgences

He sent other priests throughout Europe

Indulgences

To sell more indulgences, Tetzel claimed they could get a dead person’s soul out of Purgatory

“The moment a coin in the coffer rings, a soul to heaven springs”

Many were outraged by Tetzel’s selling technique, including Martin Luther

This led to the Reformation

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People, not just priests, were learning to read

People started reading the Bible on their own

People stared to think on their own, and not listen to the priests

People started reading the ancient non-Christian Greeks – Homer, Aristotle, and Plato – once again

New ideas of science and mathematics from the Muslim intellectuals were being read

New scientific ideas by Copernicus and others questioned the thinking of the Church

Other Changes in the World

Erasmus and other thinkers were quietly pushing the church for reform

The new printing press rapidly spread revolutionary ideas

The rulers and priests in Germany were angry at seeing money earned in their states being sent to Rome to build rich palaces and churches.

The Muslims now controlled the Byzantine Empire and cut of Italy from the spices and silks of India and China

The Portuguese now sailed directly to India around Africa, bypassing the Italian middlemen and thereby offering cheaper prices for spices and silk

Other Changes in the World

Reformer or Revolutionary?

Into This Enters Martin Luther

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