Luther Leads the
Reformation
Objectives:
1.
Analyze historical forces and religious issues that sparked the
Reformation.
2.
Trace Martin Luther’s role in the movement to reform the Catholic
Church.
3.
Analyze the impact of Luther’s religious revolt.
4.
Explain the spread of the Protestant faith to England.
The Reformation
 Reformation: movement for religious reform
 This is when people leave the Catholic
Church and PROTESTANT churches are
formed


Root word of protestant? PROTEST
People protest the Catholic Church
Causes of the Reformation
1. Renaissance

Printing press spreads
secular(non-religious)
ideas. More people can
read/interpret the Bible
2. Corruption in Catholic
Church



Pope spent lots of $$
Priests/popes broke vows
Sold indulgences
3. Merchants don’t like paying
church taxes
4. Kings/Royals: want more
power/wealth
A Renaissance era printing press.
Luther Challenges the Church
 Martin Luther (1483-
1546) – German
monk responsible for
reforming the church
 Luther was angry
over the church
practice of selling
indulgences
 Indulgence – A
religious pardon that
released a sinner
from performing the
penalty that a priest
imposed for sins
A portrait of Luther circa 1529.
The 95 Theses
 In 1517 Luther wrote 95
theses attacking the
“pardon-merchants”
 He posted these
statements on the door of
the church
 Theses were copied and
spread all over Europe
Luther nailing his 95 theses to the door of
the Wittenberg church.
The Response to Luther
 The Church considered Luther
a serious threat
 Luther recommended the
removal of the pope

Was excommunicated
as a result
 Many northern German
princes supported Luther
 Those princes that supported
Luther signed a protest
against the agreement
 The protesting princes
became known as Protestants
 Protestant – Christians who
belong to non-Catholic
churches
Charles V ordered all of Luther’s writings
to be burned.
England Becomes Protestant
 Henry VIII Wants a Son





When Henry VIII
became king in 1509,
he was a devout
Catholic
Henry feared that
without a male heir,
civil war might break
out in the event of his
death
Was convinced that his
wife Catherine would
have no more children
Henry wanted to
divorce Catherine and
take a younger queen
The Pope refused
Henry’s request
Portrait of Henry VIII circa 1540.
England Becomes Protestant
 The Reformation Parliament

In 1529 Henry called Parliament into session and
asked it to pass a series of laws that ended the
pope’s power in England
 Henry divorced Catherine and married Ann
Boleyn
 Act of Supremacy – Called on people to
accept Henry, not the pope, as the head of
England’s Church
Diagram of Henry's VIII reign relative to his marriages.
Catherine of Aragon
Anne Boleyn
Jane Seymour
Died
Divorced
Beheaded
Anne of Cleves
Catherine Howard
Catherine Parr
Survived
Beheaded
Divorced
Consequences of Henry’s
Changes
 Ann Boleyn was unable
to give Henry a male heir
 Charged with treason
and beheaded
 Henry took Jane
Seymour as his third
wife
 Gave him a son
 After Henry’s death,
each of his three
children took turns ruling
England
 Religious turmoil
Elizabeth I , "Darnley Portrait", c. 1575
Reformation
Europe
(Late 16c)