1.2.Ideas & the Human Experience Unit 1 WH3219 October 2016 Part 2

C. The Protestant Reformation Brainstorm the different Christian churches that we have today in and around our town / local area Prior to the Protestant Reformation, Roman Catholicism was the dominant branch of Christianity The PR effectively ended the dominance of the Catholic Church in Western Europe & saw the beginning of new branches of Christianity such as Lutheranism and Anglicanism

Pre-Reformation Church The Catholic Church was the dominant spiritual influence in western Europe. The pope became the strongest political leader in western Europe All people were sinners and dependent on God’s grace, or favor

Pre-Reformation Europe Popes used excommunication to force monarchs and nobles to obey the Church. Unpopular methods to raise money Church fees for services Selling of Church positions (Simony) Indulgences The Church sold tickets of indulgences (forgiveness) from sins for money. This suggested that the rich could buy their way into Heaven while the poor could not - quite the opposite of what the Bible says.

Pre-Reformation Europe Many priests were poorly educated & did not preach effectively In addition, few worshippers could read or write so knowledge of the Christian faith often came from statutes, paintings, & later the stained glass windows that adorned most medieval churches

Pre-Reformation Europe Masses were conducted in Latin, so people generally had a limited understanding of church rituals People lived according to the 7 Sacraments

Pre-Reformation Europe The Catholic Church helped to govern western Europe Bishops & Abbots played a major role in the feudal system which boosted the Church’s wealth and political power With increased wealth, many church officials became increasingly careless about carrying out their religious duties….maintained a princely lifestyle Popes had come to accumulate great wealth & power which shocked many ordinary priests & other Christians (these people paid high & high taxes to support this luxury)

Pre-Reformation Europe By 1500, trouble had been building in the Catholic Church for two centuries Babylonian Captivity 1309-1377…..election of a French pope stationed in Avignon, France the Great Schism 1377-1419….. two popes were elected—one in Rome, one in France—neither of whom recognized the other. These crisis damaged the prestige of the Church throughout Europe

Pre-Reformation Europe Several reformers tried to point out the problems associated with the Church but all were met with resistance or punishment. John Wyclif (1320-1384) - Believed the church should only follow Scripture. - Translated the Bible into English John Hus (1369-1415): Ideas similar to Wyclif - Led a nationalist movement in Bohemia (modern-day Czech Republic) - Burned at the stake for his heretical views

Pre-Reformation Europe Deeply religious people from all over Europe were ready for real change The invention of the printing press in the 1440’s helped spread awareness of the Church's abuses and it was translated into the people’s mother tongues which allowed people to read and interpret the Bible for themselves.

The Troubled CHURCH (UNDATED Reformation Woodcut)