This document summarizes the major religious challenges and reforms in Europe between 1400-1600. It describes how the Avignon Papacy weakened the universal authority of the Catholic Church. It also discusses the Great Western Schism, Black Plague, and new ideas spread during the Renaissance that challenged Church leaders. The Protestant Reformation began as an attempt to reform abuses in the Catholic Church led by figures like Martin Luther and John Calvin, resulting in new Protestant churches. The Council of Trent was convened to answer Protestant disputes and reform the Catholic Church.

1. CHALLENGE
and
REFORMATION
1400-1600

2. • Protestant Reformation:
a religious movement of the 16th century
that began as an attempt to reform the
Roman Catholic Church and resulted in the
creation of Protestant churches

3. • This was a time of great changes in the Church
–Many powerful forces came together,
challenging previously held ideas and beliefs

4. • In the Fourteenth Century, a French pope
(Clement V) moved to Avignon, France
• Seven popes remained in France, under the rule
of the French king, for almost 70 years
• This time is known as the Avignon Papacy
• This was a problem because the Church was
meant to be universal (catholic), not tied to
one country’s rule

5. • St. Catherine of Siena wrote many letters and
visited the pope, Pope Gregory XI, in France.
–She persuaded him to return to Rome in 1377

6. • Soon after, in 1378, there were two men claiming
to be pope
• The Church was split
• This internal division in
the Church is called
the Great Western Schism

7. • The Black Plague (aka Black Death) took a toll on
the Church in the Fourteenth Century.
• The disease claimed one-third of Europe’s
population

8. The Renaissance
(16th Century)
• The word “Renaissance” means “rebirth”
• This was a time of renewed interest in the
cultures of ancient Greece and Rome
- This was reflected in education, art and
literature

9. The Last Supper c. 1494

10. Leonardo da Vinci

11. The Pieta c. 1498
Michelangelo Buonarroti

12. Raphael da Urbino
The Sistine Madonna c. 1512

13. Donato di Betto Bardi (Donatello)
St. Mark c. 1411

14. • New ideas spread quickly
due to the invention of the
printing press
(c. 1450 by Johannes Gutenburg)
• Kings wanted power over the Church
• People began to challenge the leaders and
teachings of the Church
• Some Church leaders took advantage of the people
by encouraging the selling of indulgences

15. • Martin Luther was a monk,
and a professor of Theology
in Germany
–Luther’s beliefs differed from the Church’s

16. –The Church stressed faith and good works,
scripture and tradition
–Luther felt that scripture alone should guide us,
and faith alone would save us

17. * Luther did not accept the teaching authority of
the Church
• He also felt that there were certain wrongs in the
Church

18. * In 1517, Luther posted a list of 95 objections
about serious abuses and questionable practices
in the Church

19. • Luther was excommunicated by the pope
–Excommunication means that a person is
completely separated from the Church
–People who followed Luther soon formed the
Lutheran Church

20. • Division in the Church spread quickly
• John Calvin formed what became the
Presbyterian Church

21. • King Henry VIII of England had a disagreement with
the pope, who would not allow him an annulment
from his wife, who had not given him any male heirs

22. • The king formed the Anglican Church (the Church
of England), and put to death anyone who did not
acknowledge him as the head of the Church.
• In the US, the Church of England is called the
Episcopal Church

23. • The appearance of these separate churches is
called the Protestant Reformation

24. • The Council of Trent was
an Ecumenical Council
of the Catholic Church.
• Convened by Pope Paul III
• It is considered to be one of the Church's most
important councils. It took place
in Trento, Italy, between December 1545 and
December 1563
- The council answered many Protestant disputes

25. The Council of Trent:
–1545 – 1563
–Brought reform to the Catholic Church
–Formalized the Roman catechism
–Explained Catholic beliefs and traditions
–Stressed belief in the sacraments
–Deepened devotion to the Mass
–Affirmed which books to include in the bible (a
process begun in 367AD by Athanasius)

26. SAINTS OF THE TIME
St. Catherine of Siena worked to bring the papacy
back to Rome (April 29)
St. Charles Borromeo –
established seminaries
to educate priests (Nov. 4)

27. • St. Theresa of Avila – reformed her community
of Carmelite Sisters – mystic and Doctor of the
Church (Oct. 15)

28. St. Thomas More – defended
the truths of the faith in
England and went against
King Henry VIII (June 22)
St. Ignatius of Loyola –
Founded the Jesuits
(Society of Jesus); this
order taught, wrote, and
advised kings and
popes. (July 31)

29. St. Francis Xavier – A
Jesuit missionary who
brought the gospel to
India and Japan (Dec. 3)
St. Peter Claver – A
Jesuit missionary who
brought food and comfort
to African slaves in
South America (Sept. 8)