Day 4

  • Day 4: Martin Luther and the Protestant Reformation

    Causes of the Reformation

    • Criticism and Church Corruption

      • Popes and bishops

        • Helping people become corrupt

        • There was a focus on wealth and power rather than religion

      • Priests and clergy

        • Poorly educated

        • There are a number of broken vows

          • They have secret lives 

    • Early Calls for Reform

      • Great Schism

        • Divide

      • Demand that the pope, bishops, and clergy need to meet higher standards

      • Authority of the pope and the Bible

    • Germany

      • Decentralized

        • Many, many cities

      • Taxes

        • Pope claims he needs money

      • Printing press

        • Help spread ideas very quickly

    Martin Luther

    • Monk but eventually became a priest, and also a teacher with legal training (law school)

    • 95 Theses

      • 95 Thesis statements

        • October 31, 1517

        • Indulgences (forgiveness)

          • If you committed a sin, instead of going to confessions, they would buy their forgiveness

        • Printed and Spread

          • Someone took the 95 Theses to a printing shop and made hundreds of copies

        • The Church threatens to excommunicate him

    • Teachings

      • Salvation (getting to heaven)  by faith alone

      • Bible is the only religious authority and the pope has no authority

      • No need for priests spiritually

    • He translated the Bible into German

    • Luttherans 

    16th century printing of an indulgence

    95 Theses

    Responses to Luther

    • Pope

      • Papal bull

        • statement that disagrees with Luther

      • Excommunicated Luther

    • Emperor Charles V of the Holy Roman Empire

      • Diet of Worms, 1521

        • Meeting with the emperor, officials, and Luther and they try to get him to take back what he said

        • Luther was outlawed

          • Frederick the Wise of Saxony kept him in his castle and gave him food and shelter

    • Peasants’ Revolt

      • Peasants rebelled against lords, inspired by Luther

      • Burned and looted manor house and monasteriries a a result

      • Revolt crushed by nobles

        • Luther encouraged the nobles

          • He disliked war and violence and he believed nobles brought order in that

        • Because of this, Peasants turned away from Luther

    • Schmalkaldic Wars 1546-1555

      • Princes aligned with Charles V and the Catholic CHurch vs Other Protestant princes

      • Many Catholic victories, but they ended in stalemate (tired)

      • Peace of Augsburg 1555

        • Will end the wars

        • Two compromises that neither sides like

          • Princes promised to be loyal to Charles

          • In return, the princes are allowed to remain Protestants and force everyone else in their territories to be Protestant

    English Reformation

    • Henry VII

      • Labeled “Defender of the Faith” by the Pope

        • He was loyal to the Pope and Church

      • Conflict with the pope over annulling his marriage

      • Broke England from the Catholic Church with the support of the Parliament 

      • Act of Supremacy, 1534

        • He becomes the King of England and head of the Church of England

      • He was married six times, and only had three surviving children

        • Edward (r. 1547-1553)

        • Mary (r. 1553-1558)

        • Elizabeth (r. 1558-1603)

          • Moderation and compromises between Catholics and Protestants to settle the religious differences

          • Challenges

            • Radical/Extreme Catholics and Protestants

            • Philip II of Spain

            • finances