 The Corruption within the Catholic Church

 Prior to the Reformation all Christians were Roman Catholic  The [REFORM]ation was an attempt to REFORM the Catholic Church  People like Martin Luther wanted to get rid of the corruption and restore the people’s faith in the church

 In the end the reformers, like Luther, established their own religions  The Reformation caused a split in Christianity with the formation of these new Protestant religions

 Martin Luther  John Calvin  Henry VIII

 Lived from in Germany  Father encouraged him to study law  A sudden religious experience inspired him to become a monk

 He became troubled over the possibility of not going to heaven  He turned to the Bible, and confession for comfort  In the Bible he found the answer he was looking for

“The righteous shall by his faith.” Luther realized that only faith (in the ultimate goodness of Jesus), not good deeds, could save a person. No good works, rituals, etc. would save a person if they did not believe.

 A list of things he thought were wrong with the Catholic Church (95 Complaints)  He criticized:  The Power of the Pope  The Extreme Wealth of the Church  Indulgences (Catholic concept of Salvation)

 Gutenberg’s Printing Press made it possible for Luther to spread his beliefs  Posted his 95 Theses on Church doors in Germany  Gained support from people and criticism from Church

The first thing printed on Gutenberg’s press was the Bible. This is a picture of a page from one of Gutenberg’s Bibles.

 The Diet of Worms  1520 Pope Leo X order Luther to give up his beliefs  Luther responds by saying: “Unless I am convinced by Scripture and plain reason… my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and I will not recant anything, for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. Here I stand. I cannot do otherwise. God help me. Amen.”  Luther burned the order and was excommunicated (The Edict of Worms)  Luther went into hiding where he translated the New Testament into German – spreading his beliefs even further

 He was the Pope during the height of the corruption

Responses to Luther: The Peasant Revolt of 1524 Peasants, excited by reformers’ talk demanded an end to the economic and political bondage They followed in Luther’s methods; the created a list of 12 grievances (12 Articles of the Black Forest) When their demands were not met, they began raiding monasteries, pillaging and burning everything in their path Luther is horrified by the actions of the peasants, asks princes for help to stop the peasants Nearly 100,000 peasants are massacred Many members of the lower classes turned away from Luther as a result

Where revolts occurred..

 Some Local German Churches accepted Luther’s ideas  Lutheranism was formed  Supported by German Princes who issued a formal “protest” against the Church for suppressing the reforms  The reformers came to be known as [PROTEST]ants - Protestants

“May little chickens dig out your eyes 100,000 times.” - Calvin speaking to another reformer whose ideas he disagreed with

 Anti-Catholic  Influenced by Martin Luther  Disagreed with Luther’s “Salvation through faith alone.”  Created his own Protestant religion in Switzerland

 Calvin believed in:  Salvation through Predestination  At birth it is decided if you will go to heaven or hell

 Foreknowledge  God knows everything that will happen in your life  Purified approach to life:  No drinking, swearing, card playing, gambling etc..

 Started in Switzerland – Calvinists  England = Puritans  Scotland = Presbyterians  Holland = Dutch Reform  France = Huguenots  Germany = Reform Church

Puritan Hugeunots Presbyterian