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