The Protestant
Reformation
Breakdown of Denominations
Early Reformers
John Wycliffe (1324-1384)
– Interested in authority of
clergy
– People should be able to
interpret and read the Bible
on their own
– Lived during Western
Schism (more than one
pope)
• This caused questioning about
Papal Authority
Early Reformers Cont…
Jan Hus (1369-1415)
– He wanted Bishops
elected and not
appointed by Pope
– At the Council of
Constance, he made his
case but he was burned
at the stake for his
beliefs
– Spiritual leader of the
Moravian Church
Fun Facts
Lived in Bohemia (Modern Day Czech
Republic)
The last words of John Hus were that, “in 100
years, God will raise up a man whose calls for
reform cannot be suppressed”
– Almost exactly 100 years later, in 1517, Martin
Luther nailed his famous 95 Theses
Early Reformers Cont…
Erasmus (1466-1536)
– “Erasmus laid the egg that Luther
hatched.”
– Erasmus remained committed to
reforming the Church from within
– He also held to Catholic doctrines
such as that of free will
• Which some Protestant Reformers
rejected in favor of the doctrine of
predestination
Important Developments that aid the process
to Reformation!
The Printing Press!!!!
– Books are now available to
the masses not just the rich!
(Faster production=cheaper
books)
– People have access to
books whenever they
want them
Printing Press = 3,600 pages per workday
Hand Printing = 40 pages per workday
• How does this relate to the
Reformation? Explain your
answer?
What is the Protestant Reformation?
Protestant Reformation- a religious
movement in the 1500’s that split the
Christian church in western Europe and led
to the establishment of a number of new
churches
– People grew displeased with the churches…
• Financial Corruption
• Abuse of Power
• Immorality
What happens to spark the Reformation?
Pope Leo X needs money
to build St. Peter’s
Basilica…so he sells
indulgences!
– Indulgences- were pardons
issued by the pope that
people could buy to reduce
a soul’s time in purgatory
= (People could buy
forgiveness)
– Martin Luther’s Ninety
Five Theses
Language Barriers
Most uneducated people didn’t understand
Latin, but knew the local common language
or “vernacular”
– Almost all Bibles were written in LATIN
before the Reformation
It was the job of the church clergy to
translate the Bible to lay people
Martin Luther
Luther was a German
monk and professor of
theology (religion) at the
University of Wittenberg
One of the many leaders
of the Protestant
Reformation
–
Luther objected to a saying
attributed to Johann Tetzel
that "As soon as the coin
in the coffer rings, the soul
from purgatory springs."
Luther’s 95 Theses
In 1517, the 95 Theses were nailed to a
church door - They were written in Latin
– Luther’s intention: NOT TO BREAK WITH
CHURCH, BUT REFORM IT!
– Criticized:
1.Indulgences
2.Power of Pope
3.Wealth of Church
God’s Grace won by FAITH ALONE!
– Catholic View: Good Works
Excommunication
In 1520 Pope Leo X excommunicated
Luther
– Excommunication- expelled him from the
church
– Holy Roman Emperor Charles V passed
measures to suppress Luther’s writings
– Lutheran princes in Germany issued a
protestatio or protest
• Hence the term Protestant!
Other Reformers
Ulrich Zwingli in Switzerland
– Believed in the union of church and state (a theocracy)
• Wanted a system that required all citizens to attend church and
regulated aspects of personal life
• This model would influence John Calvin
– Wanted a simpler church  stripped churches of
decoration and scorned ritual
– Switzerland was divided in to cantons  split on
religion
• Each canton were either Protestant or Catholic
Other Reformers: Calvinism
John Calvin in Switzerland (Geneva)
– Believed in Predestination
• Foreknowledge - God knows who will be saved,
even before people are born, and therefore guides
the lives of those destined fore salvation
– Purified approach to life:
• No drinking, swearing, card playing, gambling etc..
Other Reformers: Calvinism
John Calvin in Switzerland (Geneva)
– Also wanted a simpler church
– Believed in Predestination
• God knows who will be saved, even before people are born,
and therefore guides the lives of those destined for salvation
– Calvin’s followers became the most militant and
uncompromising of Protestants  Geneva was home to
many rejected Calvinists
Other Reformers: Calvinism
John Knox in Scotland
– A Calvinist
– Laid grounds for a later Presbyterian Church
– Other Places that Accepted Calvinism:
• United Providences of the Netherlands
• Puritans in England
• New England
Other Reformers: Calvinism
• Started in Switzerland – Calvinists
• England = Puritans
• Scotland = Presbyterians
• Holland = Dutch Reform
• France = Huguenots
• Germany = Reform Church
Other Reformers
Anabaptists
– Believed in adult baptism
– Wanted voluntary association of believers with
no connection to the state
– Believed in social and economic equality
– Later adopted pacifism and avoided
involvement with the state whenever possible
• Mennonites and Amish are descendants of the
Anabaptists
Other Reformers: Anglican
Occurred in England
– Many reformers wanted to “purify” the church
of Catholic practices
– Result: Protestant in doctrine and practice
• Retained most of the physical possessions as the
medieval church
Breakdown of Denominations
In England, the Reformation began
with the King!
Reformation in England was dictated
by personal and political decisions
Started with King Henry VIII
– The king who had six wives…
• He wants a SON!
The Reformation Parliament
Was a gathering that led to the decision that
England was no longer under the authority
of the pope
Act of Supremacy
– Subjects were required to take an oath declaring
Henry VIII to be “Supreme Head of the Church
of England”
– Not the Pope!
Longstanding Effects of Henry VIII
His legitimate children: Mary, Elizabeth,
and Edward
Edward VI  becomes king at nine
• England was ruled by the Regency Council
• The English Church adopted Calvinism
• Died at age 15
Longstanding Effects of Henry VIII
Queen Mary I or “Bloody Mary”
– Raised Catholic like her mother Catherine of
Aragon (Henry’s 1st wife)
– She reestablished the Catholic Church in
England
– She killed many Protestants and had
approximately 300 heretics burned at the stake
– She died after ruling for five years
Longstanding Effects of Henry VIII
Queen Elizabeth I the “Virgin Queen”
– Raised Protestant and ruled England for 44
years, never married
– Required outward conformity to the Protestant
Church  rarely inquired about inward beliefs
• Some church practices resembled the Catholic
Church
• Led to the rise of “Puritans” who wanted to rid the
church of all Catholic aspects  resulting church
was Anglican
Counter-Reformation
A Historical Debate: An internal Catholic
reform or a result of Protestant criticism?
Council of Trent (1545-1563)
– Called by Pope Paul III, met three times
– Discussed the abuses of the Catholic Church
– Discussed other debates in the Catholic Church
REVIEW: Protestants Around Europe
Germany
France
England
Spain
Holy Roman Empire
Italy
Netherlands