Revolt and Reform
Chapter 10
List causes or situations which you believe led to a call for reform within the Church.
Indulgences• John Tetzel
• Misunderstanding about the meaning of indulgences – Claimed that indulgences granted salvation
• Luther believed that somewhere people had confused and forgotten the message of Jesus
List 3 types of “security” that people try to sell today.
For one of these types of security, describe how the
typical methods of selling it arelike or unlike Tetzel’s sales pitches for selling
indulgences.
Extravagant Lifestyle of Church Leaders
• Church leaders were secular leaders too– A bishop who was a “prince of the Church”
was also a prince in the real world– They would live like any other prince would
• Pope sometimes put his secular rule above the spiritual welfare of the church
Buying and Selling Church Offices
• Wealthy families controlled the church
• Church leaders had no training
Poorly trained and uneducated lower clergy
• The plague
• No formal training
• Members of lower class
• Had unofficial families
• Superstitions– Having mass said became viewed as more
beneficial than going to mass
Spirituality of Laypeople• Religious communities of lay people
formed
• Connects to Luther’s idea of priesthood of all believers
Spirit of the Renaissance• Protestants don’t like so much money
being put into churches, sculptures and painting
• Protestants downplay human potential apart from God– Humans are powerless/worthless without
God
Nationalism• Local leaders were responsible for both
religious and secular affairs
• Reformation could spread from one nation to the next one at a time
Discovery of New Lands• 1492
• Became a less closed society
• Open to the vast world
Invention of the printing press
• 4% of Germany could read
• Bibles to base the Reformation on
Consider a time when you felt misunderstood by
someone you care about (teacher, friend, parent).
How did it make you feel? What was your
response? What was their response?
Luther• 1483-1546• Wittenberg, Germany• Bible Scholar• Catholic Monk• Protestant Reformation in 1517• 95 Theses
– Statements about sin and its forgiveness, the meaning of indulgences, and the popes power to grant
Problems with Indulgences• Bemoaned indulgences granted
salvation
• People relied too heavily on external practices for salvation
• Infrequently going to Mass and confession
Rome and Pope• Many resented them for taking their
money• Luther: Questioned popes authority to
grant indulgences• Leo X was not concerned• Bishops and Cardinals were
– They felt that Luther was questioning papal authority
– Luther writes letter to explain– Cardinals call him to Rome
Luther’s Hardened Convictions
1. On Papal Authority• Pope and his councils were not the final
authority on matters of faith
• Scriptures were authoritative
• Pope had power but only given by humans
• Jesus gave Peter & Apostles authority– Can’t be passed on
2. On Grace vs. Works• People are saved solely by grace of
God
• Cannot earn salvation through works
3. On the Bible as the sole Supreme Authority
• Opposed the Church’s view of Scripture and Tradition
Luther Excommunicated• 1520
• Hung the notice in towns
• Luther refused to recant—heretic
• Duke Fredrick “kidnapped”
• Translated Bible to German
• 10 months later returned to Wittenberg
Still Catholic?• Wanted to reform not divide• He said…• 2 possibly 3 sacraments• Believed in the real presence of the Eucharist• People didn’t need a go between with God• Priesthood of all believers• Priest could marry• Reforms not innovations
Augsburg Confession• Phillip Melanchthon
• 1530
• Composed document
• Catholic and Lutheran followers agree and should compromise
• Catholic theologians condemned
• The Lutheran church emerged
The Peasant’s Revolt• Peasants took seriously the priesthood
of believers and wanted equality
• Luther sided with nobles
• 1524-1525 Revolt
• Luther condemned violence
• 130,000 peasants died
• Nobles blamed Luther
Rulers Choose Religion for Region
• Catholics were given right to practice everywhere
• Lutherans were restricted
• Protested— Protestants
• 1555 Peace of Augsburg– Local ruler can choose religion– Choose based on political reasons
Calvinism• John Calvin- Frenchman• Took Luther’s ideas further• Believed in the supreme authority of the
scriptures• Rejected the Catholic form of the Mass• Rejected Christ’s real presence in the
Eucharist• Calvin advocated simple Church worship• Wrote The Institutes of the Christian Religion
A Strict Intolerant Theocracy
• Theocracy: complete integration of Church and state
• Geneva, Switzerland
• Passed strict laws
• Rigid adherence to moral principles
• Became intolerant of other religious beliefs
Beliefs
• All laws based on the bible, but people are not to interpret the bible for themselves, submit to elders
• Belief in predestination– People are destined for either eternal damnation
or eternal salvation– Only select few are saved– Can’t know who is saved, but a good indication is
living a moral life and being a good member of society
– There are no accidents, God knows all and causes all to happen
Henry VIII• No son to succeed him
• Wanted a divorce
• Clement VII refused– Moral– Political
Church of England• Developed a state sponsored church• Required loyalty from the bishops• Act of Supremacy: declared English
monarch as head of the Church of England
• People were required to take an oath acknowledging kings supremacy
• Sir Thomas More-Catholic who was executed
• Very Catholic in theology
• Anglicans, Episcopalians
The Catholic Response
Catholic Counter-Reformation
Or Catholic Reformation
Or Counter Reformation
Pope Paul III
• Called meetings between Catholics and Lutherans – broke down over meaning of the Eucharist
• Called a Council at Trent- 1545 -1563• Two purposes:
– Bring Protestants and Catholic together– State clearly the principle teachings of the Church
• Lutherans refused to attend
• Renewal of the Church founded by Jesus– No essentials were rejected
• Popes, Cardinals, bishops and theologians
• What does it mean to be a good Catholic?
Doctrine, Practices, Worship
Results Reason
•Scriptures•Church has final word on Scriptural interpretation•Faith based on Scripture and Tradition
•Luther: interpreted by the individual•Scripture alone
Salvation based on grace and works
Inspired by grace
Calvin: Predestination
Luther: grace alone
7 Sacraments, real presence of Christ in the Eucharist
Protestants found only Baptism and Eucharist in scriptures
Original Sin: passed through birth, therefore, infants must be baptized
Calvin and Anabaptists said there is no original sin and practiced adult baptism
Justified by grace, justice and mercy of God, exemplified by good works
Luther said we are justified by faith alone
•Mass–Latin–Sacrifice
•Transubstantiation
•Reformers denied•Services were in the language of the people
•Communion–Both forms not received–Children could receive
•People shared cup•Calvin: children were not able to receive
•Devotional Practices–Honoring Mary, saints, Rosary, holy water, statues, relics
•Luther and others did away with saints and other devotionals
Bishops and priests:
Live in diocese, eliminate abuses surrounding indulgences, seminaries, celibacy
Corruption of priests and bishops, poorly trained priests
New books:•Index•Catechism•Brievary•Missal
Stop Catholics from reading books that go against Catholic teaching, Clarify beliefs, priest corruption, standardize Mass
Result
• Reform – not unity – too late
• Positive outcomes– Needed reforms– Religious orders – rules– New religious orders to help reform– Standardized practices and well defined
discipline – guided church to Vatican II
Homework:• Reflection: How is the Catholic
Reformation different from the Protestant Reformation? Which method of change and decision making do you see as more effective?
New Religious Orders
• Ignatius Loyola – Jesuits
• Teresa of Avila – reformed Carmelites
Ignatius of Loyola• “Soldier for Christ”• Injured• Only life according to the Gospels had
meaning• Pilgrimage to Holy Land• Became priest• Develops a process for deep conversion-
Spiritual Exercises• Started Jesuits-15 years of study• Started universities and seminaries• Good Catholic education would ensure loyalty
to the Church
Teresa of Avila• Carmelite nun
• Felt monastery lacked quiet focus on God
• Started St. Joseph’s – Live simply, pray regularly, meditate– Discalced-without shoes
• Called to found all over Spain
• Good sense of humor
• Interior Castle: in the center of every person’s soul is God
Implications
• Need for reform is ongoing – though guided by the Holy Spirit – still a human institution– Still criticism from within– Still silencing critics– Ecumenical dialogue since Vatican II –
Catholics, Lutherans and Anglicans are resolving many differences
• Nationalism and politics today
• Council of Trent – shaped discipline and practice for 400 years; innovation and ongoing renewal is difficult
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