1. The Protestant Reformation

2. Causes of the Reformation?
Church corruption
Anger of Holy Roman Empire towards Church
Efforts of reformers, like Martin Luther & John Calvin
Secular leaders’ greed for Church land

3. Church Corruption Was all church corruption equal? What was worse?
Priests marrying?
Simony (purchase of church offices)?
Indulgences (“buying” salvation)?
They were ALL bad……!

4. Why did the Reformation Start in the Holy Roman Empire?
No centralized state (390+ separate entities)
Church controlled a lot of land in HRE
Church took advantage of HRE lands and rulers
Weak, generally small states
Church taxed them
Most residents of HRE were angry at church abuses

5. Martin Luther Luther’s background
Priest and professor, at U of Wittenberg (HRE)
Offended by indulgences and John Tetzel, commissioner of Pope
Basis of indulgences: faith + good works = salvation
Tetzel: "As soon as the coin in the coffer rings, the soul from purgatory springs."
Wrote 95 Theses (arguments) against indulgences & Tetzel
Example: #86
Challenged Tetzel to debate (ignored)
Luther used printing press to spread his side of argument

6. Luther’s Excommunication
Luther began pamphlet campaign, spreading his ideas
Distance from HRE to Rome a factor
1517: Luther’s letter to Archbishop of Mainz
Late 1518 = initial response to Luther’s 95 Theses
What was Luther doing during this time?
1521: Diet of Worms
Luther ordered to appear for trial and execution
Luther attended, then… disappeared!
Luther abducted by Electors who wanted
to “convert” to new religion (why?)
TO TAKE CHURCH LAND!
100+ years of religious wars a result

7. Spread of Lutheranism

8. John Calvin (1509-1564) John Calvin was a French lawyer
Left Catholic Church around 1530
Fled France to Switzerland due to anti- Protestant violence in 1536
Wrote Institutes of the Christian Religion (His statement of belief)
Predestination
All events have been willed by God
Humans have no free will
The “Elect”
God has chosen a small group of people for salvation, the Elect
No one knows who the Elect are
Elect naturally live life according to Biblical teachings, demonstrating their fitness for salvation

9. The Reformation in England
Divorced
Divorced
Henry VIII had a problem…..
Wanted a divorce
Pope refused
Henry’s response (1534)
Henry confiscated all Church land in England
20%+ of English lands
Distributed to loyal noblemen
Started his own church = Anglican Church
King was head of church
Divorce was allowed
Executed
Executed
Died

10. Reformation Europe (Late 16c)

11. Effects of the Reformation
Increase in Nationalism – identity to a nation of people vs. “Christendom”
Bible translated into vernacular (English, German, etc)
Catholic “Counter Reformation”
Religious Wars