Unit 2.1

I.
Overview:
A. Beginning of modern Europe
B. Protestantism adopted by states in
Northern Europe
C. Religious enthusiasm rekindled.
D. Destroyed religious unity of Europe
* initiated period of religious wars in
16 th & 17 th centuries.

II.
Folly of Renaissance Popes
A. Corruption: simony, nepotism, sale of indulgences .
B. Decline of morality among the clergy.
1. celibacy difficult to enforce
2. secular lifestyle
3. patronizing of the arts
C.
pluralism & absenteeism
D. clerical ignorance

III. The Gutenberg Revolution
A. Desiderius Erasmus: New Testament
1. Christian Humanism: Praise of Folly
2. secular rulers resent power of papacy

IV. Martin Luther (1483-1546)
A. University educated
B. Augustian Friar – Doctorate in Theology
1. Professor of theology at Wittenberg
C. Lutheranism – salvation comes through a simple faith in Christ

V. Indugences
* The church has the authority to grant sinners the spiritual merits
1. Pope Leo X
2. Albert of Mainz
3. Johann Tetzel
Tetzel
Raphael: Pope Leo X with Cardinals Giulio de' Medici and Luigi de' Rossi
1518-19
Luther

A. Marketing of indulgences
“As soon as the coin in the coffer rings, a soul from purgatory springs.”

B. Ninety-five Theses, Oct.31,1517
1.
Luther’s criticism of the sale of indulgences

C.
Luther’s Theology
1. Salvation is achieved from faith alone
2. The scripture is the ultimate authority
3. Church is a community of believers
4. All vocations have equal merit
• Baptism and Communion are the only valid sacraments.
a. Rejected Seven Sacraments b. Rejected transubstantiation .
c. Advocated consubstantiation.
“Real Presence”

D. Response of the Church
1. Threatened excommunication
2. 1519, public debate with John Eck in
Leipzig.

E. Diet of Worms (1521)
1. summoned by HRE Charles V
2. Luther excommunicated by Pope Leo X.
"Here I stand. I cannot do otherwise.”

1. Luther protected by Frederick of Saxony a. Translated New Testament into German
2. Diet of Speyer (1529) – German princes who gathered in support of Luther to protest the response of the Church = Protestantism

IV. Social Impact of Lutheranism
A.
A Treatise on Christian Freedom (1520)
“a Christian man is the most free lord of all and subject to none”
1. Swabian Peasant Revolt: Twelve Articles a. German peasants revolts against lords

B. Against the Murderous Thieving Hordes of
Peasants
1. Luther sided with the lords against the peasants
“the freedom of Christians was to the freedom to obey the word of God and not to deny the authority of the state”

C. Protestant impact on women
1. emphasis on the role of the wife in the home
2. women freed of embarrassing confession
3. schools educated girls along with boys
4. priest married and had families a. Martin Luther married Katharina von Bora

D. Confessions of Augsburg, 1530
E. Countries Protestantism did not spread to: Spain, Italy, Ireland

The Protestant and Catholic Reformations

V. Holy Roman Empire
A.
Golden Bull (1356)
B. Rise of Hapsburg dynasty
Emperor’s Banner
1. Maximilian I a. Marriage to Mary of Burgundy b. Habsburg – Valois Wars
2. Philip & Joan of Castile a. Son: Charles V

3. Charles V (1500-1558) a. Inherited empire b. Last Medieval Emperor : his duty to maintain political & religious unity of
Western Christendom

C. Protestantism a disaster for Germany.
1. Charles V and German princes kept it fragmented.
2. Holy Roman Empire severely weakened.
D. Northern Germany
1. Newly Protestant princes a. Pope’s refusal to compromise.
b. Financial & political motives of princes.
c. League of Schmalkalden (1531)

1. acceptance of the status quo by Charles V in the HRE a. officially recognized Lutheranism b. each prince was permitted to determine his territory’s religion

VI. Spread of Protestantism
A. Huldreich Zwingli (1484-1531)
1. Adopted Lutheranism in Zurich, Switzerland.
a. attacked indulgences, the Mass, celibacy
& monasticism b. Preachership (Bible A to Z)
2. Reasons for split with Luther in 1529.
a. Eucharist was biggest issue
(consubstantiation) b. Believed in union of church and state
(Theocracy) c. Colloquy of Marburg (1529) – debate with Luther failed to settle issue s

B. John Calvin (1509-1564)
1. Geneva, Switzerland
2. Calvinism a. Institutes of the
Christian Religion
(1536) b. pre-destination
 the “elect” (“visible saints”)
3. Genevan Consistory a. Theocracy – strict punishments for criminal & religious violations

4 . Calvinist: a. strong work ethic b. most militant and uncompromising of all Protestants c. Michael Servetus
Spanish Humanist burned at the stake

C.
Spread of Calvinism to other countries.
1. Scotland: Presbyterian
John Knox (1505-1572)
2. France: Huguenots
3. Netherlands: Dutch
Reformed
4. England: Puritans; Pilgrims
(Separatists)
Knox

D. Anabaptists “to baptize again”
1. only adults should be baptized
2. voluntary association of believers
3. religious tolerance (separation of Church
& State)
4. allowed women to be ministers
5. Persecuted by Catholics and Protestants a. Tragedy at Munster , 1535

VII. Reformation in England
A. Early reform:
1. Lollards
2. William Tyndale (1526)

B. Henry VIII (1509-1547)
1. Wanted to divorce Catharine of Aragon to marry Anne Boleyn.
a. dynastic & Personal conce rns
Henry VIII Ann Boleyn Catherine of Aragon

2. Henry removed the English church from papal jurisdiction a. The Act in Restraint of Appeals, 1533
1) Crown as highest legal authority b. Act of Supremacy, 1534
1) Henry VIII became head of Church of
England ( Anglican Church )
2) Thomas More executed in 1536

3. Creation of modern centralized state.
a. Thomas Cromwell in 1530s b. dissolved English monasteries for their wealth

C. Edward VI (r.1547-1553)
1. moved England closer to Protestantism
2.
Thomas Cranmer: Book of Common Prayer

D. Mary Tudor (r.1553-1558)
1. “Bloody Mary” – restored Catholicism & persecuted Protestants

A women has twins, gives them up for adoption.
One goes to an Egyptian family and is named
Ahmal.
The other is sent to a Spanish family and is named Juan.
Years later, Juan sends his birth mother a picture of himself.
Upon receiving the picture, she tells her husband she wishes she also had a picture of Ahmal.
He replies, They're twins for Pete sake!!
If you've seen Juan, you've see Ahmal!!

E. Elizabeth I (r. 1558-1603)
1. Took middle course between Catholic and Puritan extremes.
a. politique (very Machiavellian)
2.
Elizabethan Settlement
3.
Thirty-Nine Articles, 1563 a. basic tenets of the Anglican Church

VIII. Catholic Counter Reformation
A. Response to Protestantism, or parallel reform movement?
1. Catholic Reformation & Counter
Reformation not mutually exclusive.

2. Successful in stemming tide of
Protestantism.
B. 1534, Pope Paul III reasserts papal leadership & institutes reform.

Renaissance popes had resisted reform.
Portrait by Titian

C. Council of Trent (three sessions during 1545-1563)
1.
Failed reconciliation with
Protestants.
2.
Defined Catholic dogma for next
300 years.

a. Equal validity of Scripture and tradition.
i. Salvation through “good works” and faith.
ii. Individuals cannot interpret
Bible w/o guidance from the
Church.
iii.Vulgate, St.
Jerome’s Latin translation, only valid version of
Bible.
b. Validated 7 Sacraments (including transubstantiation)

c. Reaffirmed monasticism, celibacy, and purgatory.
d. All acts of new council required papal approval
3. Index of Forbidden Books
4. Attempts at reform a. Indulgences upheld; abuses corrected.
b. Sale of church offices curtailed.

c. Bishops gained greater power over clergy in their dioceses.
d. Seminaries were established in each diocese for the training of priests.
5. For 4 centuries, doctrinal & disciplinary legislation served as basis for Roman Catholic faith, organization, and practice.

D. New Religious Orders.
1. Ursuline Order of Nuns – Angela
Merici
2. Jesuits (Society of
Jesus) – founded in
1540 a. Ignatious Loyala
(1491-1556) b. Military arm of
Catholic
Reformation

c. Three main goals:
-- Reform the church through education
-- Missionary work to pagan peoples
-- Fight Protestantism
Ignatius Loyola

d. 1542, Jesuits controlled Spanish &
Italian Inquisitions (at behest of
Paul III.)

Sacred Congregation of the
Holy Office e. Enforced Index of Prohibited
Books.
f. Succeeded in bringing southern
Germany and eastern Europe back to Catholicism.