Reformation

Time of the Reformation

1517-1648

Indulgences

A free pass to heaven given by the Church for helping with money, crusades, etc.; often sold to gather funds for Rome.

95 Theses

95 reasons why Luther hated the Catholic Church, written in 1517 in Wittenberg.

Diet of Worms

Trial in Worms, Germany for the excommunication of Martin Luther.

Edict of Worms

The verdict that Luther is found a heretic and banished from the Holy Roman Empire.

Peasants’ Revolt of 1524

Luther believed all are equal in the church; peasants revolted and were met with violence, resulting in 100,000 deaths.

Institutes of the Christian Religion

A book by John Calvin.

Anabaptist

Group advocating adult baptism, communal living, and no centralized authority.

Book of Common Prayer

Anglican liturgy that standardizes services across churches.

Spiritual Exercises

A book by Ignatius of Loyola that aims to strengthen religious values for Jesuits.

Council of Trent

Council addressing Protestant religions, affirming the finality of Catholic Church’s words.

Seminary schools

Schools established for the education of priests to ensure theological consistency.

Index of Forbidden Texts

List of banned books by the Church that promoted Protestant beliefs.

Pope Alexander VI

Pope known for arranging marriages for his children and political manipulation.

John Wycliffe

English priest who translated the Bible into English, advocating that it be accessible to everyone.

Jan Huss

Czech priest who believed in biblical authority and the Eucharist for all.

Johann Tetzel

Cardinal who famously sold indulgences, inspiring Luther’s 95 Theses.

Martin Luther

Founder of Lutheranism, he opposed certain Catholic Church practices after a life-changing event.

Leo X

Pope who threatened to excommunicate Luther and his followers.

Charles V

Holy Roman Emperor who promised Martin Luther a fair trial before excommunication.

Henry VIII

Monarch of England who established the Anglican Church due to marital disputes with the Catholic Church.

Ignatius of Loyola

Founder of the Jesuit order and author of the 'Spiritual Exercises'.

Pope Paul III

Catholic Pope who initiated the Inquisition and supported the Jesuits.

Pope Paul IV

Pope known for censorship and segregation of Jewish and Muslim populations in Rome.

Great Schism

A crisis during which the Church lost credibility due to competing popes.

Black Death

A devastating pandemic that challenged the Church's ability to provide salvation.

Christian Humanism

A Renaissance movement that emphasized returning to classical texts and values.

Tithes

A 10% income tax collected by the Church from its followers.

Illiteracy

The inability to read or write, which decreased due to the printing press.

Jesuits

A religious order focused on education and the reform of the Catholic Church.

Council of Trent - Good Works

Affirmation that Christians needed faith and good works for salvation.