Notes over The Protestant Reformation

Without a common government in Europe, the Catholic Pope became an important political leader

The Catholic church taught that people could gain access to heaven (called salvation) by having faith in God, and doing good works for others

Priests were required to go through rigorous training in a monastery...but some church positions were sold to the highest bidder called simony

Sometimes, feudal lords would use their influence to have friends or children named as priests, called by investiture

One of the most corrupt church practices was the selling of indulgences

Christian humanists believed that they could help reform the Catholic Church

As a result of Johann Gutenberg's invention of the moveable-type printing press in 1453m Erasmus's book spread throughout Europe and increased calls for church reform

In Germany, a Catholic monk named Martin Luther became involved in a serious dispute with the Catholic church

Martin Luther's break from the Catholic Church began the Protestant Reformation and inspired a series of new Christian denominations

During the Protestant Reformation, reformers protested church corruptions and practices in hopes of reforming Christianity

Martin Luther believed that salvation was gained through having faith in God; He called this idea Justification By Faith

In 1517, Martin Luther wrote a list of arguments against church practices called the "Ninety-five Theses"

He posted the Ninety-Five Theses on the church door in the town of Wittenberg and welcomed debate of his ideas