The Reformation

Chapter 14Part 1

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

Remember what was going on in Italy

Renaissance The League of Cambrai and invasion

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)

Leo X excommunicated Luther 1520

Luther threw the Papal Bull containing the news into the fire

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

The Swabian Peasant Uprising

Luther was disgusted with the violence

Admonished both Lutheran and Catholic princes to crush the revolt

They did The peasants felt betrayed REMEMBER: Although Luther was

a religious liberal, he was no threat to the existing social or political order.