Post on 29-Dec-2015
Causes of the Protestant Reformation
The Prestige of the Church was in decline due to the Crises of the 14th and 15th centuries:
The Babylonian Captivity 1309-1377 The Great Schism 1377-1417 The Conciliar Movement ( sharing
power with an assembly and restricting Pope’s power with a Constitution was rejected by several 15th and 16th century Popes.
Corruption within the Church
Simony The sale of Church offices In 1487 the pope sold 24 offices Reformers unhappy by unqualified
people in Church offices Pluralism an official holding more
than one church office at a time Absenteeism a church officials
collecting payments and privileges even when not performing a duty
More Corruption in the Church
Nepotism: The appointment of Church offices to family members Leo X and Clement VII were both sons
of Medici Florentine rulers Pope Paul III made two of his grandsons
cardinals The Sale of Indulgences: people
paying money to the Church to absolve their sins or sins of their loved ones
The moral decline of the papacy
Pope Alexander VI had numerous affairs and children out of wedlock
In the early 16th century, 1/5 of all priests in Trent kept concubines
Clerical Ignorance: Many priests were illiterate Some abused their power (trading
sexual favors for absolution, etc.)
Critics of the Church
Emphasized a personal relationship with God
Wyclif: (England) The Bible is the sole authority
Diminished the importance of the sacraments
Stressed personal communion with God
Lollards continued his ideas into the 16th century
Critics
Jan Hus (Bohemia) Freedom of debate Ultraquism Vernacular Transubstantiation Was executed at the Council of
Constance
More Critics
Thomas a’ Kempis wrote The Imitation of Christ
Founded The Brethren of the Common Life
Encouraged Christians to life simply and make religion a personal experience
More Critics
Erasmus In Praise of Folly Criticized the corruption of the
Church and the hypocrisy of the clergy
“Erasmus laid the egg that Luther hatched.”
Christian Humanists in the North
Criticized the Church AND questioned the validity of the Vulgate
New Translations of the Bible undermined Catholic authority In the North: Erasmus, Ximenes
(Spain) LeFevre (in France) Valla (in Italy)
Italian Renaissance
Deemphasized religion Secularism and individualism
emphasized by Church leaders
Many decried the moral decline of the Church
New Critics opposed to the moral decline of the Church Ulrich Zwingli was a preacher who
was trained as a humanist and used Erasmus’ edition of the Greek New Testament
John Calvin was influenced by humanism; especially the writings of Erasmus
After the Reformation, many monasteries were turned into schools by humanists.
Martin Luther 1483-1546
Was supposed to be a lawyer Conversion experience
Augustinian monk Taught at the University of
Wittenberg in Saxony
At the Same time…
Pope Leo X looking for more money to build St. Peter’s Cathedral in Rome
Authorized John Tetzel to sell indulgences
“As soon as a coin in the coffer rings, a soul from purgatory springs.”
Tetzel’s selling of indulgences had gotten out of hand
October 31, 1517 The 95 Thesis
Luther went beyond the mere criticism of selling indulgences
He questioned the authority of the Pope to grant indulgences (Scriptural questions)
The actual nailing of the 95 Thesis may not have happened
But the printing press spread his ideas rapidly
The Pope was not worried
Luther’s outbursts did not seem unlike theological debates between different orders of monks that were common
BUT in 1518 when Luther was told by the pope to stop, he defied the Pope’s authority
Luther’s protector was Frederick III (the Wise) of Saxony
In a 1520 debate
With Catholic theologian, Johann Eck
Luther denied the infallibility of the pope (and a general council)
Claimed that the Church made a mistake when executing Jan Hus
1520 Luther published his theology of reform
Salvation through faith alone Bible is the sole authority Rejected most sacraments (baptism,
communion and penance still ok) The Church = priesthood of all
believers Criticized indulgence sales, simony,
etc. Rejected poverty, chastity, obedience Encouraged German princes to
reform the Church in their states (advantages)
1521 The Diet of Worms
Was the tribunal of the HRE which had the power to outlaw and sentence execution through burning at the stake
Charles V had promised before his election to HRE that he would not allow anyone to be executed or outlawed without a fair trial
The Diet of Worms
Charles V demanded that Luther recant his writings
Luther, “Here I stand, I can do no other”
Edict of Worms: Luther was outlawed as a heretic by the HRE
But was saved and protected by agents of Frederick the Wise
1523 Luther translated the Bible into the Vernacular
= the development of the modern German language
Since any literate German could have access to Scripture…was a democratizing factor for religion
1530 Confessions of Augsburg
Written by Luther’s friend…Philip Melanchthon
He tried to mend the rift between Lutheranism and Catholicism within the German states of the HRE
Didn’t work BUT… Confessions of Augsburg became the
traditional statement of the Lutheran Church
Confessions of Augsburg
Salvation through Faith alone Bible is the sole authority The Church is the Priesthood of all
believers
The early spread of Lutheranism
German princes in the North were drawn to Lutheranism:
they could escape the authority of the Catholic Church
They could confiscate Church lands within their kingdoms
The Southern part of the HRE remained Catholic
The spread of Lutheranism
Denmark and Sweden also embraced Lutheranism
Calvinism will win much of the rest of Western Europe…later
The Political Repercussions of Lutheranism
Charles V (too late) tried to stop the spread of Lutheranism
Remember…Sack of Rome 1527 Was busy fighting Francis I in Italy Also Turks were threatening
Hungary Now HRE and the Pope allied
against Lutheranism
The Swabian Rebellion
Aka The Peasants’ War 1524-1525 Peasants believed that Luther would
support a liberal social agenda because he was religiously liberal
BUT, Although Luther sympathized with the plight of the peasants, he was not interested in social or political reform; only in reforming the Church
The Swabian Rebellion
1525: TheTwelve Articles (Peasants’ Demands) End of serfdom and tithes End of Feudal hunting rights and other
oppressive practices 100,000+ peasants involved
Luther: Against the Murderous, Thieving Hordes of the Peasants