Chapter 12.3:
The Protestant Reformation
Global Studies I
Key Terms
• Christian humanism stressed a belief in
the ability of human beings to reason and
improve themselves
• salvation acceptance into heaven
• Indulgence a release from all or part of
the punishment for sin
Erasmus and Christian Humanism
• Protestant Reformation – name used for the
reform movement that divided the western
Church into Catholic and Protestant groups.
• What did Christian humanists believe was the
best way to reform the church and society?
– individuals needed to be changed first
– reading classics and Christian works would
cause people to become more pious (moral)
Erasmus and Christian Humanism
• How did Erasmus
pave the way for the
Reformation?
– criticized the abuses in
the Catholic Church
along with other
aspects of his society
and called for reform
Religion on the Eve of Reformation
• Why did Erasmus and others think that the
Catholic Church needed to be reformed?
– Popes were more concerned with politics than
spiritual concerns
– Many church officials used their offices to gain
wealth
– Parish priests were often ignorant of their
spiritual duties
– Church was selling indulgences
Religion on the Eve of Reformation
• What was the Modern Devotion?
– mystical movement that rejected dogma and
instead stressed the need to follow the
teachings of Jesus
Martin Luther
• German monk and
professor
• What were the
Ninety-five Theses?
– attack on the selling of
indulgences
– nailed to the door of
the Catholic Church in
Wittenberg in 1517
Martin Luther
• What were the consequences of Luther’s
Ninety-five Theses?
– Catholic Church excommunicated Luther in
1521
– Edict of Worms made Luther an outlaw in the
Holy Roman Empire
– Gave rise to separate religious reform
movements
– Breakdown of religious unity in Europe
Rise of Lutheranism
Salvation
Sacraments Clergy and
Marriage
Church
Services
Lutheranism
through faith Baptism and clergy could
in God alone Eucharist
marry
consisted of
Bible
readings,
preaching,
and songs
Catholicism
by faith and
good works
Catholic
mass
seven
sacraments
clergy could
not marry
and had to
be celibate
Politics in the German Reformation
• Charles V
– Holy Roman Emperor
– King of Spain
– Wanted to preserve his
empire by keeping it Catholic
– Problems
• Series of wars with France
• Disliked Pope Clement VII,
who sided with France
• Invasion of eastern empire by
Ottoman Turks
Politics in the German Reformation
• German princes supported Luther
• Charles V was forced to seek peace
• How did the Peace of Augsburg influence
the political and religious development of
Germany?
– Formally accepted the division of Christianity
in Germany
– German states could choose between
Catholicism and Lutheranism