Comprehensive Study Guide on the Prostrate Reformation and Counter-Reformation
Core Concepts and Definitions of the Reformation
Etymology of Reformation: The term "reformation" is derived from the word "reform," which specifically means "to change."
Original Intent: The reformers did not initially intend to abandon the Catholic Church or destroy it; their primary goal was to reform it from within due to perceived systemic issues.
Primary Criticisms of the Catholic Church: * Corruption: Reformers believed the leadership of the church was corrupt. * Political Involvement: Church leaders were criticized for becoming overly involved in political activities instead of focusing on religious duties. * Prioritization: Critics felt that leaders were neglecting religion to change things in the political sphere. * Clerical Behavior: There was significant criticism regarding the behavior of priests, bishops, and popes. * Biblical Focus: Reformers argued that the leadership was not focused on what they should be: the Bible, preaching, and religion.
Church and State Relations
Interference in Appointments: A major grievance was that kings were choosing high-ranking officials within the church.
Modern Parallel: The speaker notes that this interference goes against the modern principle of the separation of church and state.
Application in Education: This principle is the reason why forced prayer is not permitted in public schools today, as not everyone belongs to a specific denomination. However, prayer is permitted in private Catholic schools where the student body is associated with that faith.
The Avignon Papacy and Internal Instability
Relocation (1309): In the year , the Pope moved from Rome to Avignon, France.
The Seven-Year Period: The papacy remained in Avignon for a duration of years.
The Great Schism / Warring Popes: During this era, there were actually popes simultaneously who acted as rivals, often referred to as "warring popes."
Clerical Ignorance: Many priests during this time were believed to be ignorant of actual church teachings because their focus was diverted toward politics and matters other than religion.
Church Wealth and the Practice of Indulgences
Wealth Accumulation: The church grew increasingly wealthy, and one contributing factor was its exemption from paying taxes.
Indulgences Defined: Indulgences were payments made to the church to reduce the time a soul spent in purgatory after death. Essentially, people paid money to the church while alive to ensure they would go to heaven sooner.
Mechanics of Indulgences: They were viewed as a "relaxation of penalties" for sins committed. By paying money, a person believed their time in purgatory would be shortened and they would be more likely to go to heaven than "down there."
Purgatory Defined: According to Catholic teachings, purgatory is an in-between place or state where souls go before entering heaven. Under these teachings, it is a place where souls are punished for their sins while they are judged to see if they can be forgiven.
Public Backlash: Many people grew angry at the notion that one could simply pay money to have their sins forgiven, viewing it as fundamentally unfair.
Desiderius Erasmus: The First Call for Reform
Origin: Desiderius Erasmus was a Dutch priest and writer.
Perspective on Clergy: Erasmus attributed the problems within the church to "lazy clergy."
Specific Complaints: He complained that church officials ignored their religious duties in favor of leading easy, comfortable lives.
Reform Method: Like early reformers, he wanted to reform the church from within rather than breaking away, and his work served as an inspiration for later reformers.
Martin Luther and the Spread of Protestantism
Start of the Reformation (1517): A German priest named Martin Luther is credited with officially starting the Reformation.
The 95 Theses: In , Luther wrote a list of complaints against the Catholic Church known as the theses. He famously nailed these to the door of a church in Wittenberg, Germany.
Theological Beliefs: * Luther argued that people did not need to do charity work or give money to the church to reach heaven. * He believed that salvation required only two things: being a believer and reading the Bible. * He emphasized a direct, personal relationship with God, bypassing the need for a priest.
Consequences and Exile: * Luther was labeled a heretic and excommunicated from the Catholic Church. * He was forced to appear before a council of nobles for a trial. * While the Emperor did not support him, a noble secretly supported Luther and hid him after sneaking him out of "berms."
The Protestant Movement: * Those who agreed with Luther and "protested" against the Catholic Church became known as Protestants. * Luther’s specific followers were called Lutherans. * Luther translated the Bible into German, as he believed people should live according to the Bible's words rather than the instructions of priests.
Other Major Reformers and Denominations
William Tyndale: * An English professor who believed everyone should be able to read and interpret the Bible personally. * This contradicted the Catholic teaching that only clergy could interpret scripture. * He translated the Bible into English, which led to his arrest, trial, and eventual execution after fleeing his country.
John Calvin and Predestination: * Calvin taught the concept of predestination: the idea that God is like a puppeteer and knows before a person is born whether they are destined for heaven or elsewhere. * Despite this predetermination, he argued that people should still live good lives and obey God's laws to prevent the world's evils. * Calvin became the religious and political leader of Geneva, Switzerland. * Calvinists passed strict laws banning entertainment or "fun" things, as they were seen as distractions from religion.
King Henry VIII: * Henry VIII's break from the church was personal rather than theological. He wanted a divorce because his wife had not produced a male heir, and the Pope refused to grant it. * In , he declared himself the head of the New Church of England (Anglican Church). * The speaker notes that the religion of the original Pilgrims in the United States was the Church of England, and their forced adherence to it was a major complaint leading to the American Revolution.
The Catholic Reformation (Counter-Reformation)
Timeline: Occurred through the late and .
Objective: An effort by the Catholic Church to reform from within to win back followers and stop the spread of Protestantism.
Spanish Influence: Spain's rulers, nobles, and clergy were the strongest defenders of the Catholic Church. Spain remains very Catholic today.
The Golden Age of Spain: Prior to the militant religious shifts, Spain was a place where Christians, Muslims, and Jews lived and worked together, leading to significant advancements in art, literature, philosophy, mathematics, and science.
The Spanish Inquisition
Religious Cleanse (1492): In , the King and Queen of Spain defeated the last Spanish Muslims and ordered all Muslims and Jews to convert to Catholicism or leave the kingdom.
Role of the Inquisition: This was a church organization tasked with finding and punishing anyone whose religious beliefs did not strictly adhere to the Catholic Church.
Expansion of Persecution: While it initially targeted Muslims and Jews (even those who had converted but were suspected of secret practice), it eventually expanded to hunting down Protestants in Spain.
Effect: By the late and , the Spanish Church was so strong that the ideas of the Reformation did not gain the same popularity there as in other parts of Europe.
Questions & Discussion
Speaker Instruction: "So have were having problems with the Catholic church. K? So they wanted to reform it. The people wanted to reform it. K?"
Audience Interaction on Prayer: "That's why we can't pray in church in school today, right, in a public school… You could pray if you're going to a Catholic school… But you can't I can't force you to pray because not everybody is is a certain denomination. Right?"
Teacher Guidance on Charts: "So that was one of the people on your charts. K? Remember it said the hints that I had on the board, if you didn't get that on your chart, the hint that I had on the board was some of the people will be from other tabs. K?"
Instruction on Attention: "At least pretend like you're paying attention… The whole point of the reformation movement was not to get out of the church… That's on your desk. K? Next tab, Martin Luther."
Clarification on Martin Luther: "It talks about how Martin Luther it has nothing to do with Martin Luther King. Completely two different completely different people."
Classroom Management: "Right here. I love this… About whose hair? Mister Rose? Rose sitting dog. His hair. Okay. Oopsie. K… Are we good? … Everyone done with this?"