Noah Hart - Reformation 9.1

Martin Luther

Martin Luther

A German monk and professor at the University of Wittenberg who was the central figure of the Protestant Reformation in the late 15th and early 16th centuries.

Indulgence

A form of heavenly exchange in which payment to the Church spared individuals or their loved ones from punishments in Purgatory.

Reformation

A change in Christianity that resulted in the formation of multiple branches of the religion, all believing in the same fundamental truths but differing on details.

Excommunicate

The condemnation of a person or group of people from the Catholic Church, authorized by upper members of the clergy.

Lutheran

A member of the offshoot Church created by Martin Luther and his followers, who joined for various reasons including belief in Luther's ideas or seeking political power.

Protestant

Originally applied to German princes who opposed the Holy Roman Emperor and the Catholic Church, but later became an umbrella term for those who opposed the Catholic Church or Eastern Orthodoxy.

Peace of Augsburg

A revolutionary agreement that allowed each ruler of a province to decide which branch of Christianity they would adhere to, ending religious conflicts in Augsburg.

Henry VIII

King of England who split England's religious sect from Catholicism to Anglicanism, motivated by his desire for a divorce and to establish himself as the head of the Anglican Church.

Annul

To reverse, cancel, or nullify an action, especially a legal one, such as a marriage.

Elizabeth I

The English Monarch who made the Anglican Church a moderate one, incorporating traditions and ideas from both Protestant and Catholic Churches.

Anglican

Something associated with the Church of England, such as a member or a tradition.

Luther's teachings

Luther taught that faith, not payment or other means, was the only way to attain salvation. He also emphasized the Bible as the source of divine authority and the importance of Holy Communion and Baptism as sacraments.

Reasons for Luther's appeal to German princes

Protestantism appealed to German princes for political reasons, as it allowed them to break away from the Catholic Church and the Holy Roman Empire, avoid paying tithes, and seize Church land.

Factors that brought about the Reformation

The Renaissance, with its emphasis on humanism and individualism, led to skepticism and doubt towards the Catholic Church. Social, economic, and political factors also played a role.

Origin of the term Protestantism

The term originated as a label for German princes who protested the Holy Roman Emperor but expanded to include those who were not part of the two mainline Churches at the time.

Impact of Henry VIII's actions on England

Henry's actions created a permanent religious divide in England and Europe, leading to the rise of the Church of England and the Glorious Revolution, which cemented Parliamentary power and influenced the eventual rise of democracy.

Elizabeth I's role in bringing religious peace to England

Elizabeth incorporated important tenets of both Catholicism and Protestantism, appealing to moderates on both sides and establishing herself as the supreme leader of the Church of England.

Comparison of Luther and Henry VIII's reasons to break with the Church

Luther's reasons were based on logic and Biblical reasoning, while Henry's motivations were personal and political, focused on his legacy and pursuit of a divorce.

Catholic Church's response to Luther's teachings

The Catholic Church first tried to excommunicate Luther but later reformed from within through the Council of Trent, settling beliefs, emphasizing art and conversion, and banning the sale of indulgences to counter Protestantism.