The Reformation – Martin Luther
2nd YR
Who was he?
• He was the man who started the
Reformation
• How?
• He was a German monk
• Got sick of abuses in the Catholic Church
• Tried to get Church to change
• ended up setting up a new church
• Called the Lutheran Church
Early life
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Born Saxony in 1483
Studied law
caught in thunderstorm
prayed to St Anne
Promised to become a monk
so studied theology
Before fame
• became a priest and monk in
Wittenberg
• Believed he was a terrible sinner
• read bible closely
• became convinced that there was
only way to get into Heaven
• called ‘Justification by Faith alone’
Differences to Catholicism
• Catholic Church said both faith and
good works were necessary
• Luther believed only faith was
necessary
• why?
• No mention of good works in Bible
Indulgences
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Pope Leo X - rebuilding St Peter’s Basilica
Needed cash
Introduced a special indulgence
John Teazel sold this indulgence in
Wittenberg
• Luther was furious
• Saw this as ‘buying your way’ into Heaven
95 Theses
• Wrote a list
called ‘95 Theses’
• Contained 95
problems with
the Catholic
Church
• Posted it on the
church door of
Wittenberg
• Became famous
Printing Pamphlets
• Invention of
printing in 1400s
was crucial
• Helped spread
Luther’s ideas all
over Germany
• Wrote
pamphlets
containing his
ideas
Luther’s Aims
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he didn’t want to leave the Church
he just wanted to reform the Church
ie make it better
but the dispute became serious
The Church wouldn’t change
Pope’s Response
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Leo X - Papal Bull
Called ‘Exurge Domine’
Told Luther to ‘recant’ his beliefs
Condemned as a heretic
If he refused he would be
excommunicated
• ie thrown out of Church
Luther’s Reponse
• Luther publicly burned the Papal
Bull
• Refused to take back his ideas
• A clash was inevitable
• Some people supported Luther..
• ..Some supported the Church
Luther burns papal bull
Who ruled Germany?
• Overall ruler of Germany was the
Holy Roman Emperor
• He had close links to the Pope
• Germany split into diff provinces
• each province ruled by a prince
• the prince of Saxony was Frederick
the Wise
• He agreed with Luther
Diet of Worms
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Luther united to a meeting at Worms
..to discuss his views
Called the Diet (Meeting) of Worms
He refused to recant his beliefs
Edict of Worms
• As a result, he was condemned as a
heretic
• Made an outlaw by the Edict of
Worms
• The Edict was the written decision
of the meeting
• Luther’s life now in danger
Rescued
• Luther was ‘kidnapped’ by Frederick the
Wise
• Hidden in his castle in disguise
• Stayed there a yr in secret
• He translated the Bible from Latin
• ..into German
• This is called the vernacular
• Vernacular means whatever language is
spoken in the area
Why translate?
• Bible into Latin
• No one but bishops could understand
it
• Even most priests didn’t understand
it
• Luther wanted people to be able to
read it
• ..and see for themselves
Spread of his ideas
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Famous because of printing
Spread through German states
Up into Scandinavia
1529 - Emperor tried to ban Luther’s
idea
• But some princes protested
• Became known as Protestants
War
• This dispute led to war between the
states and the emperor
• Ended with the Peace of Augsburg in
1555
• Each prince could decide the religion
of his state
• Lutheranism was the 1st Protestant
Church
Why did Luther succeed?
• 1. His beliefs were based on the Bible
• ..so he couldn’t be contradicted
• 2. Printing press meant his ideas could
spread quickly
• ..and couldn’t be controlled by the Church
• 3. He was supported by his Prince,
Frederick,
• ..who stood up for him
Luther’s Beliefs
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1. Bible was source of all beliefs
2. Justification by faith alone
3. Prince was head of Church
4. Services would be in German (the
vernacular)
Luther’s Beliefs (2)
• 5. Only two sacraments (Baptism and
Eucharist)
• 6. Both wine and blood were present
in communion
• 7. People should read the Bible for
themselves
• 8. Priests could marry
Recap Questions
• 1. Write down 5 problems in Catholic
church
• 2. What were the 95 Theses?
• 3. How did the Pope respond?
• 4. Who was the Pope?
• 5. What happened at Diet of Worms?
• 6. How was Germany ruled?
• 7. How was the religious problem in
Germany sorted?
Vocab recap
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95 Theses
Indulgences
John Teazel
Frederick the Wise
Vernacular
Salvation by Faith alone
Edict
Vocab recap
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Diet of Worms
Heretic
Excommunicated
Peace of Augsburg
Protestant
Papal Bull
Recap – write down 5 diffs between
catholics and protestants