The Protestant Reformation began in 1517 when Martin Luther publicly protested corrupt practices in the Catholic Church by nailing his 95 Theses to a church door in Germany. This sparked divisions in the Catholic Church and the emergence of Protestantism. Key figures like Luther and John Calvin rejected the authority of the Pope and certain Catholic doctrines, believing salvation came from faith alone rather than good works. The Reformation led to the permanent split of Western Christianity into Catholic and Protestant denominations and spread Protestant ideas across Europe through the 16th century, resulting in religious conflicts and wars.

1. Protestant Reformation
Mrs. Boyd
12th grade Global Studies
Thomas Jefferson High
School

3. The Protestant Reformation: Roots
• Great Schism of the West (1054)
– First break within the Catholic Church
• John Huss
– 100 yrs. before Martin Luther
– The first reformer
– Beat off five crusades against the Catholic
Church
– Excommunicated and burned at the stake
• Northern Renaissance

4. Causes of the Reformation
• Problems with the church
– Greedy - $$
– Popes = Politicians
– Warriors instead of moral leaders.
– Many officials were unmoral and
corrupt.
• It starts in Germany
– Not unified
– No strong leader to hold religion
together

5. Lutheranism
• Salvation comes from God and faith
alone.
– No ceremonies, relics, good deeds
• Sacraments – baptism and communion
– Key is the Bible
• Wants people to be able to read the Bible
• Religious education for all
– Priest do not have special powers
• Broke away from the Catholic Church
because it was not pure
– Traditional Lutherans have many
similarities to Catholics

6. The Breaking Point!
Martin Luther Vs. Johann Tetzel
and the fight over indulgences

7. 95 Theses

8. What helps to spread
Luther’s ideas?

9. Diet of the Worms

10. Luther says NO!!!!!!!!!!
Hier stehe ich. Ich kann nicht anders.
Gott helfe mir. Amen." ("Here I stand. I
can do nothing else. God help me.
Amen.")
• He is excommunicated from church and
forced into hiding for the rest of his life
•Worked banned – Stopped by Frederick the
Wise

11. Luther’s Legacy
• Permanent split in the Christian
faith between Catholicism and
Protestantism
• A number of different sects of
Protestantism::
– Methodist
– Presbyterian
– Baptist
• Today - approximately 590 million
Protestants worldwide

12. John Calvin - Calvinism
• French lawyer -
moved to religious
community in
Geneva, Switzerla
nd
• Founder of
Calvinist faith
• 1536 – The
Institutes of the
Christian Religion
– Code = all
religious questions

13. Beliefs
• “Faith Alone” saves
you
• The Bible holds the
truth
– Religious Education
• Calvinism = Calvinists
• PREDESTINATION
– God has already
decided who is
saved/condemned.
– “ the elect” – expected
to follow a high moral
standard

14. Calvinism Spreads
• Official religion – Geneva
– Theocracy – government ruled by
religious leaders who claim God
authority.
– Outlawed dancing, cards, bad
language, etc.
– Created appeal – people knew how to
act – Are the elect people????

15. Calvinism Spreads
• Spreads to
France, Germany, Netherlands, Scan
dinavia, Scotland
• France
– Huguenots
– Civil Wars (1562)
– King Henry IV – Edict of Nantes
• Freedom of religion
• Some political rights

16. Henry VIII of England
• Wished to divorce
Catherine of Aragon
and marry Anne
Boleyn
– Pope refused to grant
it
• Henry declares
himself head of the
Church of England in
the “Act of
Supremacy” 1534
• Henry is the head
of the Church of
England not the
Pope
– In America we call this
the Anglican Church

17. End of a united Christendom
Bloody wars of religion, religious
persecution
Religious, Social, Political conflicts
intermingled
Establishment of modern languages
(German, English) not Latin
Confiscation of Church lands increased
power for rulers

18. Religions Today (US)

20. Religions Today (US Catholicism)

21. Religions Today (US Judaism)

22. Religions Today (Europe)

23. Religions Today (World)