The Protestant Reformation

R. H. Bainton The Reformation of the 16c Thus, the papacy emerged as something between an Italian city-state and European power, without forgetting at the same time the claim to be the vice- regent of Christ. The Pope often could not make up his mind whether he was the successor of Peter or of Caesar. Such vacillation had much to do with the rise and success of the Protestant Reformation.

What was the Reformation? The Reformation began on October 31, 1517, when German monk Saint Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the Castle Church door in Wittenberg, Germany. This was one of the greatest events of the past 1,000 years. Saint Martin made a translation of the Bible from Greek and Hebrew into German. Soon all the countries of Europe followed his example by translating the Scriptures into their languages. For the first time in history, the recently invented printing press made the Word of God available to all the people.Saint Martin Luther

Causes of the Reformation?  The Renaissance  it raised the level of education, reemphasized the ancient classics, contributed to thought and learning, and offered Humanism and rhetoric as an alternative to Scholasticism.  made possible the biblical exegesis that led to Martin Luther's doctrinal reinterpretation.  Christian humanists like Desiderius Erasmus criticized ecclesiastical abuses and promoted the study of both the Bible and the church fathers  Church corruption  Avignon Papacy - The papacy itself was weakened by its move from Rome to Avignon ( ),  Conciliarism - the doctrine that supreme authority in the church belonged to general councils

Marsilius of Padua  Defensor Pacis [Defender of the Peace] –Attacked papal authority –The Christian community is the sum of ALL its parts! Development of personal devotions  suspicion of clergy

Greed of secular leaders  1/3 of Europe  church land Papal need for money  indulgences Printing Press - Johann Gutenberg provided a powerful instrument for the spread of learning and Reformation ideas.

The Spread of the Printing Press

The Holy Roman Empire in the 16 c

The Spread of Lutheranism

Lutheranism Reformation began in Germany on Oct. 31, 1517, when Martin Luther, an Augustinian university professor at Wittenberg, posted 95 theses inviting debate over the legitimacy of the sale of indulgences. The papacy viewed this as a gesture of rebellion and proceeded to take steps against Luther as a heretic. excommunicated in 1521.

Martin Luther's Definition of Faith: An excerpt from "An Introduction to St. Paul's Letter to the Romans," Faith is not what some people think it is. Their human dream is a delusion. Because they observe that faith is not followed by good works or a better life, they fall into error, even though they speak and hear much about faith. ``Faith is not enough,'' they say, ``You must do good works, you must be pious to be saved.'' They think that, when you hear the gospel, you start working, creating by your own strength a thankful heart which says, ``I believe.'' That is what they think true faith is. But, because this is a human idea, a dream, the heart never learns anything from it, so it does nothing and reform doesn't come from this `faith,' either. Instead, faith is God's work in us, that changes us and gives new birth from God. (John 1:13). It kills the Old Adam and makes us completely different people. It changes our hearts, our spirits, our thoughts and all our powers. It brings the Holy Spirit with it. Yes, it is a living, creative, active and powerful thing, this faith. Faith cannot help doing good works constantly. It doesn't stop to ask if good works ought to be done, but before anyone asks, it already has done them and continues to do them without ceasing. Anyone who does not do good works in this manner is an unbeliever. He stumbles around and looks for faith and good works, even though he does not know what faith or good works are. Yet he gossips and chatters about faith and good works with many words.

Protestant Reformation? The word Protestant is derived from the Latin protestatio meaning declaration which refers to the letter of protestation by Lutheran princes against the decision of the Diet ( general assembly ) of Speyer in 1529, which reaffirmed the edict of the Diet of Worms against the Reformation.[1]letter of protestationLutheranDiet ( of SpeyerDiet of Worms[1]

Edict of Worms The Edict of Worms was a decree issued on May 25, 1521 at the Diet of Worms by the Holy Roman Emperor, Emperor Charles V, declaring Martin Luther an outlaw and a heretic and banning his literature. It also made it a crime for anyone in Germany to give Luther food or shelter.May Diet of WormsHoly Roman EmperorEmperor Charles VMartin Luther

The Peasant Revolt

Calvin’s World in the 16 c

John Calvin Through Lutheran tracts and merchant missionaries, the evangelical movement spread to France, where it won many converts, among whom was John Calvin. In 1536, Calvin went to Geneva, where a reformation led by Guillaume Farel was well under way. Calvin was persuaded to stay in Geneva and helped organize the second major surge of Protestantism. In his Ordinances of 1541, he gave a new organization to the church consisting of pastors, doctors, elders, and deacons. His Institutes of the Christian Religion (1536) had great influence in France, Scotland (where John Knox carried the Calvinist reformation), and among the Puritans in England. Geneva became the center of a great missionary enterprise that reached into France, where the Huguenots became so powerful that a synod met in Paris in 1559 to organize a nationwide church of some 2,000 reformed congregations. As a result of the French Wars of Religion, the Huguenot (French Protestants who were members of the Reformed Church) party was checked and the French monarchy kept the kingdom Catholic.

Protestant Churches in France (Late 16 c )

The Anabaptists Dutch persecution of Anabaptists (Mennonites) Anabaptist means "re-baptizer." It is a label often assigned to all "Radical Reformers"—a diverse group that remained outside the mainstream of the Reformation

Reformation Europe (Late 16 c )