Reformation

What was the Reformation?

A 16th-century religious movement that led to the creation of Protestant churches and a split from the Catholic Church.

What were the main causes of the Reformation?

Church corruption (e.g., indulgences), printing press, rise of individualism, and humanist thinking.

Who started the Protestant Reformation?

Martin Luther in 1517.

What were Martin Luther's 95 Theses?

A list of arguments against Church practices, especially the sale of indulgences, nailed to a church door in Wittenberg.

What is an indulgence?

A payment to the Catholic Church for forgiveness of sins.

What was Luther’s main belief about salvation?

Salvation by faith alone, not by good works or Church rituals.

What invention helped spread Reformation ideas quickly?

The printing press (invented by Gutenberg).

What was the Diet of Worms (1521)?

A meeting where Luther was asked to recant his writings. He refused and was declared an outlaw.

What is the name of the first Protestant Church?

The Lutheran Church.

Who was John Calvin?

A Reformation leader in Geneva who taught predestination and founded Calvinism.

What is predestination?

The belief that God has already chosen who will be saved.

Who led the English Reformation?

King Henry VIII, who broke from the Catholic Church in 1534.

Why did Henry VIII break from the Catholic Church?

The Pope refused to annul his marriage to Catherine of Aragon.

What church did Henry VIII establish?

The Church of England (Anglican Church).

What was the Counter-Reformation?

The Catholic Church’s response to the Reformation, aiming to reform itself and stop Protestant growth.

What was the Council of Trent?

A Catholic council (1545–1563) that reaffirmed Catholic doctrine and reformed abuses.

Who were the Jesuits?

Members of the Society of Jesus, a Catholic religious order that promoted education and missionary work during the Counter-Reformation.

What were the effects of the Reformation?

Religious wars, weakening of the Catholic Church, rise of Protestantism, and increased emphasis on individual faith.

Name one major war that resulted from Reformation tensions.

The Thirty Years’ War (1618–1648).