The Protestant Reformation began in 1517 when Martin Luther issued his 95 Theses criticizing Catholic Church abuses such as the selling of indulgences. Luther's movement sparked a religious revolution in Germany and other states. By 1555, the Peace of Augsburg forced the Holy Roman Empire to allow German states to choose either Catholicism or Lutheranism. Other reform movements like Calvinism and the Church of England also emerged during this period of religious upheaval in Western Europe.

1. PROTESTANT 1509 CE –
1555 CE
REFORMATION

2. • Changes in intellectual thought set the stage for the Protestant
Reformation.
• Christian humanists such as Erasmus were critical of Church
corruption and said the Church had become involved in politics
rather than matters of the spirit.
• The widespread selling of indulgences prompted a monk and
professor in Germany named Martin Luther to issue his famous
Ninety-Five Theses criticizing Church abuses. Luther also
rejected some Catholic doctrines.
• Luther's movement sparked a religious revolution. Many German
states became key allies for Luther as he broke with the
Catholic Church and established a new religion which became
known as Lutheranism.
• The emperor of the Holy Roman Empire was ultimately forced by
the Peace of Augsburg to let German states choose between
Catholicism and Lutheranism.

3. CHRISTIAN HUMANISM
 Erasmus & Christian Humanism :
Again, humanism is the concept
that humans could reason and
improve themselves.
 Humanists believed that if people
read the classics and basic works of
Christianity, they would become
more pious and change society.
 Desiderius Erasmus was a famous
humanist who started the
“Philosophy of Christ” movement.
 Christianity should show people how to
live good lives on a daily basis rather
than provide a system of beliefs that
people have to practice to be saved.
 External church practices were not
important (pilgrimages, fasts & relics)
He sought reform of the Catholic
church, not to break away.

4. RELIGION BEFORE REFORMATION
 Corruption in the Catholic
church was rampant. Popes
were too concerned with
politics while the people
wanted salvation. People
thought that they could gain
indulgences (release from
punishment of sin) from
relics.
 Other people sought salvation
through mystical movements
such as Modern Devotion.
Downplayed religious
dogma, but stressed the
teachings of Jesus.

5. MARTIN LUTHER
 Martin Luther was a monk and professor at the University of
Wittenberg, in Germany
 The Catholic church taught that faith and good works were
necessary to achieve salvation.
 Indulgences were granted as a favor or a privilege
 Indulgences were payments people made to have their sins forgiven
 Martin Luther came to believe that humans are not saved
through good works but through their faith in God. He believed
no one could do enough good works to earn salvation.
 He was against indulgences, which didn‟t prove a person‟s good work
or faith
 He believed “justification by faith alone” was the only way to
salvation – meaning that faith in God was the only method to achieve
eternal salvation

6. 95 THESES
 Luther was angered by the church practices of
indulgences and other abuses
 On October 31 , 1517, he sent a list of 95
Theses (complaints) to his church superiors
 He attacked indulgences and priestly abuses,
 He attacked the use of sacraments, relics and
superstition
 The Catholic Church did not take Martin Luther
seriously
 By 1520, Luther had made a definite break
with the Catholic Church
 He asked the German princes to overthrow the
papacy and establish a German church
 Luther was excommunicated (kicked out) of the
Catholic Church in 1521
 The Edict of Worms made Martin Luther an outlaw
within the Holy Roman Empire
 Luther was protected by Frederick of Saxony, who hid
and protected him

7. LUTHERANISM
 Luther‟s religious movement gained support throughout
Germany and the Holy Roman Empire.
 The German princes who adopted Lutheranism took control of
Catholic churches in their territories and started forming state
churches whose activities were supervised by the government
 Luther set up religious services to replace the Catholic mass
 These included a worship service with Bible readings, prayer, and
song
 The doctrine (ideas) preached by Luther came to be known as
Lutheranism, Lutheran churches were the first Protestant
faith
 In June 1524 Luther faced a crisis when peasants revolted
against German lords; Luther supported the lords and not the
peasants
 Luther became dependent on the state to support his churches

8. POLITICS IN THE GERMAN REFORMATION
 Charles V ruled the Holy Roman Empire, which was in conflict
with much of Germany because of the changing faith
 Charles V had a rivalry with Francis I, the king of France
 They had disputed territories that led to over 20 years of warfare
between France and the Holy Roman Empire
 The pope backed the king of France
 The Ottoman Turks invaded the Holy Roman Empire
 German states supported Luther over Charles
 Charles was unable to defeat all the forces working against
him, and he signed the Peace of Ausburg in 1555, which
formally accepted the division of Christianity in Germany;
German rulers were able to freely choose between
Lutheranism and Catholicism (it is important to note that
individuals were not free to choose – they had to practice the
religion chosen by the head of state).

9. GUTTENBERG PRINTING PRESS
The significance of
Gutenberg‟s printing
press caused the
explosion of printed
materials. By
1500, 40,000 titles
printed and between
8-10 million copies
• The impact of
movable-type
printing presses:
research and
literacy

10. ZWINGLIAN REFORMATION
 As Lutheranism became more accepted throughout the
German states, new versions of Protestantism appeared in
Europe
 Ulrich Zwingli was a priest in Zurich, Switzerland when the city
council started introducing religious reforms
 Relics and images were abolished, all paintings and decorations were
removed from churches
 Zwingli‟s movement spread to other cities in Switzerland, and he
sought an alliance with Luther and the German reformers, but they
were unable to agree on the sacrament of Communion
 War broke out between Catholics and Protestant Reformers in
Switzerland in October 1531; Zwingli was killed in battle

11. CALVINISM
 John Calvin fled Catholic France for Switzerland when he
converted to Protestantism
 He published Institutes of the Christian Religion , a summary
of Protestant religious thought
 Calvin was very similar to Luther in his beliefs, but he
emphasized predestination, the idea that God determined in
advance who would be saved (the elect) and who would be
damned (the reprobate)
 The belief in predestination gave Calvinists the conviction that
they were doing God‟s work on Earth
 John Calvin began to reform Geneva, Switzerland, creating a
church government and enforcing moral discipline using the
Consistory, a special court to punish those living immoraly

12. REFORMATION IN ENGLAND
 In England, King Henr y VIII did not have a male heir to the throne; he
was married to the Catholic Queen Catherine of Aragon
 Henry wanted to annul (end) his marriage so he could marry another woman
 The Pope refused to approve the annulment, so Henry VIII started the Church of
England
 He was assisted by the archbishop of Canterbury, who joined the new Church of
England, or the Anglican church
 In 1534 Parliament passed the Act of Su premacy , which declared the
king the “only supreme head on ear th of the Church of England” -
taking power away from the Pope and granting it to the king
 Henr y dissolved the Catholic monasteries and convents and sold their
land and possessions to wealthy landowners and merchants, filling his
treasur y and gaining suppor ters for his new order
 Henr y‟s heir Mar y (Catherine‟s daughter) tried to conver t the countr y
back to Catholicism, punishing protestants and earning the name
“Bloody Mar y” for her cruelty
 Henr y‟s daughter Elizabeth eventually usurped Mar y and ruled England
as a Protestant; she‟s considered one of England‟s greatest Queens

13. ANABAPTISTS
Anabaptists were Protestants who did not
want the state to have power over the church
The Anabaptists practiced adult baptism and
served “reborn” Christians
 They believed all believers were equal
 Each Anabaptist church chose its own minister
 They believed in a separation between church and
state
 They refused to hold office or bear arms

14. EFFECTS ON ROLE OF WOMEN
 Protestantism helped develop a new view of the family
 Special holiness associated with priests was eliminated
 Protestant preachers were often married, and the family was placed
as the center of human life
 Reality did not change much for women, however, as
traditional roles still existed in Protestantism:
 Women were expected to obey their husbands
 Women were expected to handle the household
 Women had a duty to bear children, as part of the divine plan
 The Protestant Reformation did not change women‟s
subordinate place in society

15. CATHOLIC REFORMATION
 The Catholic Church had lost members in
Germany, Switzerland, Scandinavia, France, the
Netherlands, and England
 The Catholic Church experienced a resurgence and
revitalization in the 16 th century
 The Catholic Reformation was supported by three pillars:
 The Jesuits, founded and led by Ignatius of Loyola, took an oath of
obedience to the pope; Jesuit missionaries were very successful in
restoring Catholicism to parts of Germany and eastern Europe
 Reform of the Papacy helped the reformation; Pope Paul III reformed
the role of the Pope and tried to end corruption in the office of pope.
 The Council of Trent returned the church to traditional Catholic
teachings, upholding the sacraments, good works, the view of the
Eucharist, and indulgences

16. REVIEW
Ulrich John Henry VIII Anabaptist Ignatius
Zwingli Calvin Church of Of Loyola
„Calvinism‟ England Jesuits
In Switzerland, Believed that King, wanted a Voluntary Part of the
Relics & God was big divorce from community of Catholic
images were enough to his first wife adult believers Reformation.
abolished. determine our (who was who had Swore
Unable to future, as an Catholic) to undergone a allegiance to
agree with all powerful marry Ann spiritual the pope.
Luther on the nature in God. Bolin. Didn‟t rebirth and
meaning of Predestination want to wait had then been
Communion . God said we for an baptized.
were saved in annulment. Adult baptism
advance. (unlike child
baptism of
other faiths)

17. SUMMARY