the protestant and counter reformations

what challenges did Christians face in the 1st century? how did that change by the 4th century?

they were originally persecuted, but after Emperor Constantine granted religious freedom in the Roman Empire, Emperor Theodosius was able to make it the official religion in 380

what two groups did the Church divide into?

Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches

*temporarily worked together during the Crusades

John Wycliffe

attacks the Church through writings and sermons

• encourages people to read and interpret the Bible for themselves instead of believing whatever the Church told them

• led to many people claiming they were the Pope (split in Western church)

• given a posthumous (after death) “execution”

• from England + translates Bible into English

Jan Hus

he supports John Wycliffe’s ideas

• the Church calls him a heretic, or a disbeliever who holds views that go against the Church

• the Church burns him at the stake for his views

• from Bohemia, held services in the vernacular

what problems did the Church experience from the 11th century to the 15th century?

split into Eastern and Western Churches (1054)

• western Church splits even more due to Wycliffe

• Church is questioned

• Pope loses power

• enemies of the Church are being killed

• people like Wycliffe + Hus believed that the Church wasn’t the ultimate authority, the Bible was

protestant

a person who challenges something (could be an idea, person, etc).

reformation

the process of reshaping or remaking something (taking the challenged idea and renewing it).

what were some of the Church’s abuses?

• become more secular

• increase marriage/baptism fees

• indulgences

• sermons + Bible were in Latin

printing press

allowed Reformation ideas to be spread much quicker and more efficiently

what is humanism, and how may it have led to the Protestant reformation?

humanism is the study of human potential, reasoning, and achievements (people started recognizing that God wasn’t always the highest authority– people were; they read Greek + Roman texts).

• once people were exposed to humanist ideas, they realized they had been blindly following the Church

• they started believing in human reasoning

• fought for reform

• started wondering how they, as humans, could have a relationship with God

causes of the Reformation

• 100 Years War and Black Death

• clergy was uneducated (didn’t have education)

• church was busy with worldly (politics, economics) affairs – not doing spiritual work

• scientific advances which contradicted the Catholic Church

• indulgences – paying $$ for a pardon of sins or reward for good behavior

Catholic Church hierarchy

1. God

2. Pope

3. Cardinals

4. Archbishops

5. Bishops

6. Priests and Monks

7. Laity - not in the church, regular church attendees

what did Erasmus do?

he translated the New Testament into Italian

Martin Luther

German monk who was upset with the Church, main teachings and beliefs included:

• salvation by faith alone, not good works

• Bible is the ultimate authority and we should base our teachings off of it only

• all people are = before God

• people should read + interpret Bible themselves

• his opposition to the Church started when he joined the monastery; realized the Church was corrupt and wouldn’t save him

what were some of Luther’s issues with the Church?

• Tetzel (a friar) was selling indulgences

• merchants want usury (lending money + charging interest); this is wrong in the Bible

• Church’s wealth + power

• Italian domination (angered Germans + English)

Luther’s 95 Theses

posted on All Saint’s Church in Wittenberg, Germany (1517), 95 reasons he opposes the Church, criticized:

• indulgences

• Pope’s power

• Church’s wealth

*gained support, was aided through printing presses

Pope Leo X Medici

Pope during the height of religious corruption

• ordered Luther to give up his beliefs (1520)

• Luther burned the order and was excommunicated in 1521

who summoned Luther to trial?

Charles V - Trial was in Worms, Germany

• 1518: wanted him to redact his Theses, Luther refused —> excommunication (1521)

Edict of Worms

Luther is declared an outlaw + heretic by Charles V

• banned his writings

• demanded his arrest

• anyone who helped him would be punished

• anyone who killed him wouldn’t be punished

• led to the formation of Lutherans

• Luther had to hide in Wartburg Castle to stay safe (friends helped him)

in 1524, what do peasants want an end to? what is Luther’s reaction?

peasants want an end to serfdom and revolt in 1524

• Luther does not support the revolt and the princes of Germany massacre 100,000 people

who declared war against Protestants?

Charles V

t or f: Luther had no support from princes

f: had support from Northern German princes

*other princes joined together against Luther

Peace of Augsburg

religion of each German state would be decided by its ruler (1555)

King Henry VIII

• devout Catholic

• he and Catherine of Aragon had a daughter Mary, but no male heir

• Henry wanted a divorce

• the Pope could annul (set aside) a marriage, but refused (not a legitimate reason to annul)

• Henry called on Parliament to pass laws ending Pope’s power in England and legalize his divorce

• in 1534, Henry breaks from the Catholic Church and declared himself head of the Church Of England

• STARTS REFORMATION IN EUROPE!

Queen Elizabeth I

• second daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn

• combined Catholic styles w/ Protestant teaching to please both religions

• was a Protestant, but wanted peace

• makes the Anglican Church the official church of all of Great Britain

John Calvin

his ideas hit the church with a POW:

• P: predestination; God chooses who goes to heaven, you don’t get there by good works

  • salvation through predestination

  • decided at birth

• O: our moral lives will reveal if God chooses us to go to heaven or hell

• W: work ethic, righteous life that honors God (strict, frugal, disciplined lifestyle)

• from France, supporter of Luther

• published a book in 1536 on his beliefs

John Knox

• visited Calvin in Geneva and liked his teachings

• returned to his native Scotland and his followers were called Presbyterians

Anabaptists

• means “baptize again”

• persecuted across Europe

• believed in Baptism only for adults who were old enough to decide

what did Luther do while in hiding?

translated the New Testament into German vernacular in order to make the Bible accessible to ordinary citizens. they didn’t have to follow the Church’s interpretations anymore, and could read the Bible and interpret it themselves.

*CHRISTIANITY DIAGRAM*

how did the Catholic Church try to win back followers during the Counter-Reformation?

• Society of Jesus: missions, schools, seminaries

• Council of Trent

• “The Index of Forbidden Books”: protect the Church’s teachings + banish those texts

Ignatius

religious leader who created the Society of Jesus

what two new Popes were founded during the Counter-Reformation?

Paul III and Paul IV (had to renew the Church)

Catholic doctrines

• Church’s interpretation of the Bible was final

• Christians needed good works + faith for salvation

• Bible is as powerful as the Church

• indulgences were acceptable (false ones were not)

t or f: the Counter-Reformation completely failed

f: were able to reverse some effects of the Protestant Reformation and gain followers

Council of Trent

established rules and guidelines to go against the Protestant Reformation

• made of Catholic leaders

• killed + tried many Protestants (accused of heresy/dissent)

other effects of Counter-Reformation:

• parish schools (increased appreciation for education)

• both reformations ended up unifying among themselves

• women wanted more rights

pros and cons of Jesuit order

Pros:

• many Europeans went back to Catholicism

• Jesuit teachers sent around the world on missions

• schools, colleges, and seminaries were created

• investigated in indulgences and other abuses in the Church

• ran charitable organizations (such as one for former prostitutes and one for Jewish people who converted to Catholicism)
  

Cons:

• depending on perspective, converting individuals to Catholicism may be seen as a con

• Jesuits had close ties to royal courts and political figures, leading criticism and a worry that they would abuse their influence in govt.

• feared that Jesuits would manipulate things in the govt. to work in their favor

• centralized structure of the Jesuit order could sometimes lead to internal conflicts and power struggles within the organization

• did not allow the religious freedom of the Indigenous cultures

purpose of the Council of Trent

to refute Protestant beliefs and clarify + strengthen Catholic doctrine

how many sessions did the Council of Trent hold over its 18-year duration?

25 (40 bishops total)

which doctrine was reaffirmed during the 13th session of the Council?

transubstantiation

what was the stance of the Council on the selling of indulgences?

it was upheld, but reformed

which of the following was NOT a decree issued by the Council of Trent?

the complete abolition of purgatory (temporary place of punishment)

the two sources of special revelation according to the Council

Holy Scripture and traditions of the church (including the “unwritten traditions”).

*Protestants only believed in Holy scripture

other things established by the Council

• Gregorian calendar

• decrees on marriage (needs a priest + 2 witnesses), concubinage, divorce (cannot remarry if other partner is alive)

• affirmed purgatory’s existence

*quick summary of reformation*

started with Martin Luther + 95 Theses

• aided by printing press

• new religious denominations

  • Calvinism: predestination

  • Anabaptists: adult baptism only, no priests

  • Anglicans: separation of Church and State

    • formed by Elizabeth after Henry VIII broke away from church

  • Lutherans

• council of Trent led to Counter-Reformation

Lutheranism

salvation: faith + accept God’s word

sin: apologize and intend on improving yourself

authority: Bible

• individal interpretations

• provides basis for teachings

• teaches way to have a faithful life

worship: mix of Old Catholic and New Lutheran rituals

• prayers in German vernacular

• altar, crucifix, monster dressed in traditional vestments

• 2/7 Catholic sacraments: Baptism and Communion

community life: religion starts at home

• father’s role: lead + protect

• women: get married, have kids, stay in house

Calvinism

salvation: predestination

• rules set so that people wouldn’t sin

• singing, dancing, card-playing, etc. were banned

authority: Bible

• theocracy

• rules set to punish sinners (didn’t attend church or commited blasphemy)

worship: met 5x a week

• simple life (simple decorations)

• long sermons given by minister

• men, women, and children sat on different sides

• if children were called on and didn’t know the answer, they were shamed

• 2/7 sacraments: Baptism and Eucharist (blood and body)

  • only ones listed in Bible

community life: ruled by the Bible

• started in Geneva

• Christian names

• no bars/drinking

• in bed by 9

• inns had Bibles for guests

• no “fun” activities

• annual home inspection

• banishment for poor behavior

Anabaptism

salvation: only way to be saved was to be isolated from everyone

• avoided govt. and wars

• didn’t believe in rituals + ceremonies to admit people into their community

sin: no one could go to heaven (sin is everywhere)

authority: Bible

• individual interpretation

• very minimal role of the Priest

• simple life

worship: met in homes, not Churches

• absolutely no decorations

• Baptism for adults

• Eucharist (communion)

• no priests

• children were in meetings, but couldn’t participate in rituals

community life: secluded and isolated

• didn’t want any part of the sinful world

• believed they would be attacked by others for their beliefs

• had rules to follow:

  • no involvement in outside world

  • no govt. involvement

  • freedom for all (no war)

  • tolerant of other religions

  • communities were places of refuge

Anglicanism

sin: people are born sinful (original sin)

• baptism washed away sins

salvation: justification by faith, apologizing for sins, and accepting God’s word

• didn’t have to do good deeds

authority: King of England —> Head of Church

• he interprets the Bible

• assistant: Archbishop of Canterbury

• bishops + priests spread his teachings

  • weren’t restricted to a strict interpretation (long process of information being transferred, not going to be perfect)

• people needed to obey laws + be loyal to the King

worship: High and Low church

• High: Roman Catholic mass, wealthy

• Low: preaching from the Bible, middle/low class

• services in Churches and monasteries

• white buildings w/ 10 Commandments on walls

• Church members wrote Book of Common prayer in English

• sermons in English

community life: people were obliged to do the right thing

• gave each other privacy

• everyone lived their best way according to their beliefs

• no one type of Anglicanism

  • just have to be obedient to English law and God