The Reformation
E.Q. 2: Who was Martin Luther and
what role did he play in the
Reformation?
Martin Luther and the Beginning of the
Reformation
Why did Luther question Church
practices?
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Troubled by the idea that salvation was
attainable through “good works”
Interpreted St. Paul to mean that path to
salvation was by faith alone (justification by
faith)
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Believed forgiveness of sins could come only
from God’s mercy
Angered by Tetzel’s sale of indulgences
What was his early life like?
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Son of middle-class German parents
Studied law at first
Near disaster (almost hit by lightning)
caused him to become a Catholic monk
How did his criticisms expand into
an effort to form a new church?
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Wrote 95 Theses to start debate on Church
abuses
Published books and pamphlets questioning
Church’s teachings
Ideas for reform led to a new church:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Congregations choose their own ministers
Worship of saints and holy days considered sinful
Services in German rather than Latin
Clergy allowed to marry
Simplified services
Respect for all vocations
* 7. Salvation by faith alone
Why did his reforms create
widespread revolt in Germany?
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Peasants, believing “everyone was
equal under God”, revolted against
their lords: Peasant Rebellion
German princes, who resented being
controlled by pope, seized Church
lands
Peace of Augsburg forced many
to move in order to worship freely
Vocabulary Terms (E.Q.2)
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Martin Luther = German monk who broke with the
Catholic Church in 1520 and began the Reformation
Pope Leo X = Pope at time of Reformation;
excommunicates Luther in 1521 (Diet of Worms-Trial,
Edict of Worms is the Excommunication)
Johan Tetzel = monk who ruthlessly sells indulgences
in Saxony, thus angering Luther
Charles V = Holy Roman Emperor during Luther’s time;
strongly Catholic, he tries to get Luther to stop criticizing
the Church
Vocabulary
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The Ninety-Five Theses = Luther’s list
of complaints about the Church’s abuses;
posted on church door of Wittenberg,
1521
The Peasants’ Rebellion = 1524
uprising where peasants misunderstood
Luther’s call for religious equality to mean
social equality. Led to death of thousands.
Diet of Worms = trial held in Worms for
Luther to recant his actions; Luther
refuses and is excommunicated
Vocabulary
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Edict of Worms = Luther to be excommunicated
Peace of Augsburg, 1555 = allowed all German
princes to choose the religion for their principality
Justification by Faith = Luther’s theory that one
attains salvation through faith alone (implies that
the Church or good works cannot earn one
salvation)