Key Figures and Events in Church History

Flashcards covering important individuals and events that have shaped the history of the Church.

Martin Luther

A German monk, priest, and theologian who began the Protestant Reformation by posting his 95 Theses in 1517, criticizing Church corruption and emphasizing sola scriptura and sola fide.

John Calvin

A French theologian and pastor during the Protestant Reformation who developed Calvinism, emphasizing predestination and God's sovereignty. He reformed the church in Geneva, influencing Protestant communities.

Charlemagne

King of the Franks and Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire who strengthened the relationship between Church and state, promoted education and Christianity, and was crowned by Pope Leo III.

St. Bernard of Clairvaux

A French abbot and Cistercian monk who reformed monastic life, promoted the Second Crusade, and was influential in Church politics and theology, emphasizing the love of God and devotion to Mary.

St. Francis of Assisi

Founder of the Franciscan Order known for his vow of poverty, love of creation, and renewal of the Church through simplicity and service. He received the stigmata and became a model of Christlike humility and peace.

St. Dominic

Spanish priest and founder of the Order of Preachers (Dominicans) who combated heresies through preaching and education. The Dominicans became key in theology and Church scholarship.

St. Thomas Aquinas

Dominican friar and theologian, one of the Church’s greatest philosophers, who wrote the Summa Theologiae, synthesizing faith and reason and explaining doctrines using Aristotelian logic.

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton

The first native-born American to be canonized, she founded the first Catholic school in the U.S. and the Sisters of Charity, pioneering Catholic education and contributing to the growth of the Church in America.

The Great Schism of 1054

The official split between the Eastern (Orthodox) and Western (Roman Catholic) Churches, resulting from disagreements on papal authority, the Filioque clause, and cultural/political tensions.

The Western Schism

A crisis from 1378-1417 where multiple popes (Rome, Avignon, later Pisa) claimed authority, damaging the Church’s credibility and resolved by the Council of Constance.

The Council of Trent

An ecumenical council of the Catholic Church from 1545-1563, a key part of the Counter-Reformation, reaffirming Catholic doctrine and reforming Church practices.

The Iconoclasm Controversy

Debate over the use of icons (religious images) in worship during the 8th-9th centuries, resolved at the Second Council of Nicaea (787), which upheld the veneration of icons.

The Photian Schism

Conflict between Pope Nicholas I and Patriarch Photius of Constantinople in the mid-9th century, reflecting tensions over jurisdiction and doctrine and highlighting growing East-West divisions.