Chapter 13: The Reform of Religion

  • In early 16th century, reformers throughout western Europe preached new ideas about religious doctrine and religious practice
      * Initially, the ideas took form of sustained critique of Roman Catholic Church but soon gained momentum of their own
  • There were problems with Churches
      * Renaissance Popes were considered too worldly
      * Church officials were poorly educated
      * Priests didn’t abide by the rules
      * People developed higher standards
  • Christian leaders and Humanists of Northern Renaissance presented new ideas
      * Printing Press
      * Italian Humanism combined with Christain Humanism
  • Italian Humanism
      * Secular interests
      * Texts and languages (classical)
      * Examined words and their meanings
  • Christian Humanism
      * Reform movement
      * Applied ideals of Humanism to Church doctrine
      * Wanted to make people better Christians
      * Education of Women
      * Challenged Church education
  • Erasmus
      * Wanted to unite individual Christian with textual basis of Christian doctrine
  • Printing Press (1455)
      * 9-10 million books printed in 50 years
      * Bible is the first book printed (Johann Gutenburg)
      * Increase in education
      * Government increased uniformity of law
      * Newly emerging scientific ideas spread quickly
      * Increased value placed on discovery of new ideas
  • Reformation
      * People formed own opinions on religion
      * Ideas spread more quickly
      * People started to criticize the church more
      * New economic pressure
  • Economic innovation from Renaissance allowed people to be more independent in their daily lives
  • Feudal systems started to make way for a more nationalist worldview
  • Reformation became a way to challenge political authority
  • Martin Luther believed that salvation came from having “faith in God”
      * Wrote 95 Theses
      * Put on trial by Charles V at Diet of Worms
      * Luther was supported by the Germans
      * German Princes joined Luther in protest against the Pope
  • Luther was supported by the German Princes, free towns, and women
  • Switzerland had two reformation movements
  • Henry VIII
      * Became king in 1509 at age 18
      * Was a devout Catholic
      * “Defender of the Faith”
      * Henry established new church to annul his first marriage to marry Anne Boleyn to have a son
      * Head of the Church of England
      * Seized all church property and sold it to nobles
      * Beheaded Anne Boleyn cause he still didn’t have a male child
      * Had a son with third wife
      * Had 6 wives
      * Died in 1548
  • Henry VIII’s son Edward becomes king at age 12
      * Mary becomes queen after Edward’s death
      * Elizabeth I locked up Mary and became Queen
        * Restored Protestantism to England
        * Dealt with return of radical Protestants and Catholics
        * Compromise between conservatives and radicals was created by 39 Articles
  • Early Protestants didn’t believe in separation of church and state and weren’t democratic
  • Protestant values made the commercial and industrial middle class stronger
  • Reformation created a new social, economic, and political way of life with the emerging middle class being able to flourish
  • Accumulation of wealth became a sign of living a “good life”
  • Western Europe developed due to geographical advantages such as coal and iron
  • Protestantism and Catholicism acted in ways that supported emerging capitalism