Section 3 Martin Luther and the Reformation

I. The Church at the time of Martin Luther A. The church had become a powerful political institution, it carried out wars and made alliances with other states (Pope was a major political figure) B. Humanist writers began to call attention to the changes in the churches C. Church was so involved in the world that it lost sight of guiding people’s religious lives D. Church began granting indulgences in return for monetary contributions ($) 1.Indulgences were pardons for your sins granted by the Pope 2. One could buy an indulgence for themselves or a deceased loved one

II. Martin Luther German monk and teacher Struggled with his beliefs in the Church teachings The church taught that one got to heaven by doing good works Luther studied the Bible and came up with some things that he believed the Church was doing wrong according to the Bible In fact, Luther came up with a list of 95 things that he saw the Church doing that went against the Bible In October 1517, Luther posted the Ninety-Five Theses on the Church door in Wittenberg, Germany**

III. 95 Theses (list of problems) Luther argued that people achieved salvation through faith in God alone -justification by faith* He challenged the role of the priest. Church taught that only the priest could perform certain rituals. Luther said they were officeholders or representative of the church.* He challenged the authority of the Pope to rule in religious matters. Luther stated that the true authority is the Bible and if the Pope doesn’t follow the Bible, people have the right to disobey him*

D. He also challenged the sales of indulgences D. He also challenged the sales of indulgences. Stating that a document doesn’t make sin go away. He also questioned where the money went from the sales of them. * E. When he posted them he hoped to start a discussion which would lead to those things and others being fixed (began to speak out about the church’s problems)

Iv. Response of the Church A. First, they ignored him, but Luther got people talking B. The church tried to silence him Pope sent him a letter demanding that he stop Luther burned the letter in public Pope excommunicated Luther C. Church Court tried to get him to recant (take back) everything he had said and written. He refused and stated that he only answered to God D. Church labeled him an outlaw(could kill and not be punished) Church excommunicated him

E. Luther’s split from the Church was the start of the Protestant (to protest) Reformation (change) F. Luther’s popularity would grow and his ideas would spread quickly V. Success of Reformation A. Luther and others would eventually leave the Catholic Church because of issues with teachings. This would lead to the development of many Protestant faiths

B. The success of the Reformation may have been because: 1 B. The success of the Reformation may have been because: 1. Germans were attracted to his teachings 2. Nobles and Kings resented the power of the Pope and were glad to break away from it 3. The poor saw his teachings as a message of equality among all (Peasant’s revolt) C. Luther went on to preach and teach about justification by faith, priesthood of all believers and the authority of the Bible

D. Those who left Roman Catholic Church became part of the Lutheran Church which spread throughout Europe E. The Catholic Church finally allowed Lutherans to worship freely in 1555 with the signing of the Peace of Augsburg