The document summarizes the birth of Protestantism in Europe in the 16th century. It details how corruption in the Catholic Church, including the selling of indulgences, led Martin Luther to post his 95 Theses criticizing these practices. Luther's views, which emphasized faith over works and interpreting the Bible independently, spread rapidly. Other reformers like John Calvin also worked to spread Protestant ideas throughout Europe, and by the end of their work over half of Europe had become Protestant.

1. The Birth of Protestantism
I. At the dawn of the sixteenth century, the Holy Roman Catholic Church found itself with
many problems. Its hierarchy was corrupt and disorganized. Wealthy families controlled the
leadership positions of churches and bought and sold religious positions. Priests controlled huge
lands belonging to the church that increased their own profits, and Church officials bought and
sold indulgences. Indulgences were documents that promised to keep people out of torture in
Purgatory*, which is the process of temporary punishment in which the souls of those who die
are believed to be made ready for Heaven. People earned an indulgence for their sins by acts of
repentance, such as extra prayers or fasting, in addition to paying money. In the late Middle
Ages, priests took advantage of people's desire to escape the punishment of God by selling them
indulgences, a practice that reformers strongly opposed. Meanwhile, the local priests were not
properly educated and did not make much effort to take care of people. They rarely gave religious
speeches, instructed the young, or met the other needs of people. What was worse, they set a bad
example. Some had drinking problems, and some others kept lovers.
II. The Renaissance popes, wealthy and clever statesmen, saw the sorry state of affairs, but
they enjoyed their powerful status so were not motivated to change anything. The Lateran
Council, which concluded in 1517, called for reforms that included adequate training of priests;
however, the pope at the time, Leo X, did not support them.
III. Martin Luther (1483–1546), the founder of the Reformation movement, thought that, as a
consequence of this corruption, reform was essential. A thoughtful, loyal Catholic and scholar,
Luther became a priest, studied the history of religions, and eventually became a professor at the
University of Wittenberg in Germany. By 1513, he had developed a different spiritual approach,
suggesting that our faith in God's love is what qualifies us for heaven, and good works are
secondary.
IV. Luther talked about his new vision, but he did not make an impact on society until he
began his campaign against the selling of indulgences. One of Luther's arguments was that the
pope could not possibly have control over souls in Purgatory. Luther's Ninety-five Theses, each
addressing a different aspect of the selling of indulgences, rapidly became the talk of Germany. A
successful professor and skilled lecturer, Luther quickly won the hearts and minds of many
people who were ready for a change.
V. Luther's other theological principles have remained central to most Protestant values: the
Bible is the only reliable source, each individual should interpret the Bible on his/her own,
nothing written after the Bible by Christian saints and theologians has the same authority as the
Bible, and there is no need for a priest to come between a person and God. Also, for Luther, a
primary responsibility of priests was to explain the message of the Bible in order to reach their
audience in the best way. As a consequence of this thesis, Protestants began to conduct religious
ceremonies in their native tongues rather than in Latin.
VI. Luther's movement spread rapidly in northern Europe. In these countries Protestant
churches began to come under the protection of secular governments, in which religion had no
dominance over state affairs. John Calvin, another reformer devoted to Luther's ideas, sent
missionaries throughout Europe to give religious speeches and to organize communities.
Switzerland, Scotland, parts of France, and the Netherlands all accepted Calvinism. By the time
Calvin, Luther, and other reformers had finished their work, half of all Europe had become
Protestant.
*Purgatory: In Catholic belief, after death some souls are neither innocent enough to enter heaven, nor
sinful enough to go to hell, these souls first wait in Purgatory to get rid of their sins by pain and fire.

2. 2
ANSWER KEY: 1.A 2.D 3.C 4.C 5.A 6.D 7.A 8.D 9.B 10.C
1. The word repentance in paragraph I is closest in meaning to ----.
A) regret B) hatred C) crime D) revenge
2. It is understood from paragraph I that people who bought indulgences ----.
A) were people who never feared God or the after world
B) believed no one was punished in Purgatory after death
C) were reformers with drinking habits and lovers
D) believed their souls would go directly to heaven without being tortured
3. Which of the following is NOT an indicator of the corruption and disorganization in the Holy Roman
Catholic Church in the 16th century?
A) Important positions in churches occupied by the wealthy
B) Priests making profit from the church’s lands
C) People’s desire to escape the punishment of God
D) The lack of well-qualified priests
4. It is stated in paragraph II that the Renaissance popes ----.
A) were not aware of the corruption of the Church
B) objected to Pope Leo X’s call for reform
C) were satisfied with their position and didn’t want to change
D) were often poor artists migrating from the country to the city
5. The word essential in paragraph III is closest in meaning to ----.
A) necessary B) truthful C) recent D) intermediate
6. It can be inferred from paragraph IV that Luther ----.
A) never told anyone about his new vision until his campaign against indulgences began
B) believed the pope had almost the same power as God
C) mentioned the beneficial aspects of selling indulgences overseas
D) had a large effect on Germany with his campaign against indulgences
7. The word conduct in paragraph V could be replaced by ----.
A) carry out B) take out C) disappear from D) depart from
8. All of the following are mentioned in the text about the Reformation Period EXCEPT that ----.
A) Luther’s views on indulgences became well-known in Germany
B) it was obvious that some Catholic priests needed a thorough training
C) Protestant churches were protected by secular governments
D) Luther’s private life was never revealed to the public
9. Which of the following is ONE of the theological principles of Luther?
A) Each person is responsible for teaching the Bible to others.
B) Reading the Bible in one’s own language improves understanding its messages.
C) A person should read books written by saints to learn facts about the Bible.
D) Priests are responsible for carrying people’s messages to God.
10. It is understood from paragraph VI that ----.
A) Calvinism greatly differed from Luther’s movement in its principles
B) countries like the Netherlands weren’t in favor of the spread of Protestantism
C) European people’s way of thinking was rapidly influenced by Luther’s and Calvin’s thoughts
D) Calvin preferred to travel by himself throughout Europe instead of sending missionaries.