Summary of the Reformation

Reformation

Meaning: To reform or change religion.

John Wycliffe

A key reformer (late 1300s-1400s) who advocated for the Bible as the final authority over the Pope.

Jan Hus

A reformer who asserted the Bible's authority and was executed for heresy.

Desiderius Erasmus

A Renaissance Humanist who critiqued church greed in 'The Praise of Folly.'

Thomas More

A Renaissance Humanist who challenged corrupt church leadership.

Martin Luther

A monk and scripture teacher (1483-1546) who sparked a religious revolution, especially by opposing the sale of indulgences.

Indulgences

Payments made to the Catholic Church to reduce penance or time in purgatory, which Luther opposed.

The 95 Theses

Luther's document criticizing the selling of indulgences, which sparked debate and spread reform ideas.

Luther's Core Beliefs

Salvation through faith alone; Scripture as the sole basis for church teaching; Priesthood of all believers.

Pope Leo X

The Pope who excommunicated Luther in 1521 after he refused to recant.

Edict of Worms (1521)

A decree that declared Martin Luther an outlaw and heretic, ordering his books to be burned.

Peace of Augsburg (1555)

An agreement that allowed German princes to determine their state's official religion ('Cuius regio, eius religio').

English Reformation

A series of events in 16th-century England by which the Church of England broke away from the authority of the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church, primarily driven by King Henry VIII's desire for a male heir.

Act of Supremacy

Established the English monarch as the head of the Church of England, initiated by King Henry VIII.

John Calvin

A key reformer who developed Calvinism, emphasized predestination, and founded a theocracy in Geneva with strict moral codes.

Predestination

The Calvinist doctrine that God has determined beforehand those who will be saved and those who will be damned.

The Catholic Reformation

Also known as the Counter-Reformation, efforts by the Catholic Church to reform and retain loyal members in response to the Protestant Reformation.

Ignatius of Loyola

Founder of the Jesuit order, a key figure in the Catholic Reformation.

Jesuits

A religious order (Society of Jesus) established by Ignatius of Loyola, focusing on education, missionary work, and defending the papacy.

Council of Trent

A major ecumenical council (1545-1563) that reaffirmed key Catholic doctrines, addressed corruption, and clarified the role of tradition alongside scripture.