1. The Protestant Reformation
What is it?
A time period in which people protested against the Catholic Church for
Corruption
Abuses
People broke away from the Catholic Church and formed their own sects
Led to the formation of Protestantism

2. Martin Luther Leads the Reformation
Causes of the Reformation
Criticisms of the Roman Catholic Church (RCC)
Popes spent a lot of $$$, one fathered children
Priest and monks were uneducated, drank, and married
The RCC was corrupt and everyone knew it

3. Martin Luther German priest and monk
Leader of the Protestant Reformation
Disagreed with Church policy
The practice of selling indulgences
The power of the Pope
Achievement of salvation
Wanted to clean up rampant Church corruption

4. What is an indulgence?
It removes all or part of the punishment that is due for sin
Many preachers claimed indulgences absolved buyers from all punishments and granted them salvation
Martin Luther was vehemently against the practice of selling indulgences

5. The 95 Theses Written by Luther in 1517 Described his views on
The selling of indulgences
Church abuses
Posted on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg (present-day Germany)
Most important church of the Holy Roman Empire (HRE)

6. Response from the Church
Pope Leo X demanded Luther recant
Faced excommunication
Luther refused to recant, and was excommunicated
HRE Emperor Charles V also opposed Luther
Called Luther to the Diet of Worms (General Assembly of the HRE) in 1521
Pressured Luther to recant
Luther refused to recant his views

7. Edict of Worms Consequences for Luther
Declared an outlaw in the HRE
His literature was banned, and he could be killed “without legal consequence”
Excommunicated by the Catholic Church
Luther secretly returns to Wittenberg (1522)
Many northern princes support Luther (Protestants)
A way to break from HRE and claim own land
German civil war ensues

8. German Civil War (1547-1555) Catholics vs. Protestants
Ended with the Peace of Augsburg
Each German prince could choose own religion
Northern provinces remained Protestant
Southern provinces stayed Catholic
Protestantism spread throughout northern Europe
Luther gained many followers

9. Martin Luther Followers became known as Protestants His Teachings
Specifically “Lutherans”
His Teachings
Salvation through faith alone
Teachings should come straight from Bible
Pope and many church traditions were false
All people with faith are equal
Became the foundation of Protestantism

10. The English Reformation
England was a Catholic nation
King Henry VIII was known as “Defender of the Faith”
He also wanted a son to pass his kingdom
Thought the country would dive into civil war without an heir
His wife could only bare one daughter – Mary

11. King Henry VIII rebels
King Henry VIII asks the Pope for an annulment of their marriage
Pope refuses the request (for political reasons)
King Henry VIII responds by calling Parliament
Act of Supremacy (1534)
The King of England replaces the Pope as head of the Church of England

12. Consequences of the English Reformation
Henry is able to annul his own marriage
Marries 7 times in total
Has three children - Mary, Edward, & Elizabeth
King Henry rules as a Protestant King
Official religion becomes Protestantism
Church officials are jailed, Churches converted
Catholicism is outlawed

13. After King Henry VIII
England saw a series of religious problems following King Henry VIII
Each of Henry’s children ruled according to their own religious beliefs
Edward VI ruled as a strict Protestant, then
Mary I who was a very religious Catholic, then
Elizabeth, who was Protestant

14. Queen Elizabeth I Had very moderate religious views
Established the Anglican Church
Sought to appease both sides
Allowed more religious freedom