The Protestant Reformation

By Ms. LauterhahnWorld Civilizations

95 Theses

• What were the 95 Theses?• List of complaints distributed around Europe• Written by monk Martin Luther in 1517• Originated in Germany

• What did the Pope do?• Banned the works

• This marked the beginning of the movement called the Protestant Reformation.

Catholicism in the 1400’s

• Roman Catholic church had power in 1400’s– Had a lot of influence and extravagance so people

thought church was pulling away from its spiritual roots

– This led to the reform movement called Protestant Reformation in the early 1500’s

People Unhappy with the Church

• Why were people unhappy?– Financial corruption– Abuse of power– Respect for popes and priests weakened– Heavy taxes because church financed the

Renaissance artists but taxed the middle and lower classes to pay for it

Indulgences

• Indulgences were pardons issued by the Pope• You can buy an indulgence to reduce your

time in Purgatory• This practice was highly criticized• At this time, Nationalism also began to grow

and people started devoting themselves to a nation rather than a church.

Early Reformers

• 2 Important Reformers who criticized Church:– John Wycliffe • He believed the Church should give up earthly

possessions. He was even removed as a teacher.

– Jan Hus (yahn hoos)• He was a priest• He started preaching against immortality and

worldliness of the Church. • He was excommunicated, arrested and tried for heresy• He was then burned at the stake!!!!!!!!

Martin Luther

• Martin Luther believed:– Selling indulgences was sinful and they couldn’t

forgive sins– 95 Theses were written in Latin which most

people didn’t understand– Purpose was to start a discussion among

intellectuals– Because of printing press, they were published

and read by everyone!!!!!!!

Martin Luther cont’d

– Martin Luther believed that faith alone was needed to remain in God’s good graces.

– The ONLY HEAD OF THE CHURCH was Jesus himself, not the Pope.

– Christian practices should come from the Bible only so he translated the Bible into the German language.

Reactions to Luther

• Pope Leo X excommunicated Luther (that means he expelled him from the Church).

• Luther was asked to appear before Charles V (he was the new Holy Roman Emperor) and the German assembly at the City of Worms

• Luther refused to change his opinions• Charles V handed down the Edict of Worms

which made Luther an outlaw.

Luther cont’d

• Luther’s ideas still spread• He didn’t intend to start a new religion but he

did!!! Lutheranism became a branch of Christianity by 1530.

• 1529 – Charles V tried to stop the Lutherans in Germany.

• The Lutheran princes issued a PROTESTATIO (meaning protest). That’s how we get the word “Protestant”.

Spread of Protestantism

• Lutheranism rose in Germany• New religious movements sprang up in

Switzerland and other European countries

Spread of Protestantism

– Ulrich Zwingli – from Switzerland. • He was a Reformation Priest• He preached similar to Luther, but pushed it further• He was seen as a Radical• The church he established had theocracy at its base.• Martin Luther opposed him because he thought Zwingli

was messing with the word of God• He ended up dying in battle in 1531.

What is Theocracy???

• Theocracy is a government in which the Church and State are joined and in which officials are considered to be divinely inspired.

John Calvin

• Next to Luther, he was the most important Protestant reformer.– He and Luther both rejected Catholicism– He was influenced by Renaissance Humanists– He supported Martin Luther– He preached the Doctrine of Predestination.

What is Predestination?

• God knows who will be saved before people are even born. There is nothing humans can do that will change their predestined end.

What is Calvinism?

• Took root in Geneva, Switzerland• City became theocracy under Calvin’s leadership• Viewed people as sinful by nature• Need strict laws to regulate people’s behavior• Church attendance was MANDATORY!• Laws controlled color of clothing, etc.• Dancing, singing, jewelry = forbidden.• They didn’t mind the strictness – it gave them

discipline!

Protestantism Spreads to England

• Henry VIII becomes King in 1509 at 17 years old.– He was a devout Catholic and hated Luther so he

was seen as a “Defender of the Faith”– He had a daughter, but needed a boy. He thought

his wife, Catherine couldn’t give him a boy so he wanted his marriage declared invalid so he could remarry.• Pope said NO because Catherine and his nephew,

Charles V opposed it.

– Henry falls in love with Anne Boleyn.– He summons the Parliament (known as the Reformation

Parliament). – Parliament declares England no longer under the Pope’s

authority and Henry becomes the head of the Church of England.

– 1533 – Henry and Anne secretly marry and he has another girl.

– 1534 – Parliament passes ACT OF SUPREMACY requiring people to take oath declaring Henry VIII to be the “Supreme Head of the Church of England”. The break from Rome is now complete!!!

HENRY VIII cont’d

• Ends up with 6 wives. 3rd wife (Jane Seymour) gives him a male heir – called Edward VI.– Edward VI takes throne at age 9!– Dies at 16 and Henry’s daughter, Mary, becomes

the queen of England.• Mary brings back authority of the POPE and

many people are burned at the stake for their Protestant beliefs

• She is known as Bloody Mary.

What happens to Mary???

• She dies and Elizabeth I becomes queen.– She was a Protestant and drafted a new

Supremacy Act in 1559. This Act splits England from Rome again.

– She persecuted anyone who dared to worship as Catholics.