Protestant Protestant ReformationReformation

Background on Christianity

Rooted in Jewish tradition/Torah and the person of Jesus of Nazareth

Jesus – rabbi? who encouraged ethical self sacrifice – Love God Love others Care for the vulnerable/outcastes

Gospels Many stories written about the

teachings of Jesus of Nazareth Canon of 4 gospels established 4th

century CE Place Jesus as Messiah of Judaism;

also: son of God and resurrection

Paul (Saul of Tarsus) Proclaims special revelation: Jesus’

message meant to be universal – not just for the Jews

Travels & begins inclusion of Gentiles in synagogues…eventually separate churches

Some conflict with Jerusalem church

Letters / Epistles Most from Paul Advice to early church communities How to live in the world Imminent 2nd coming of the Christ

(Messiah/Savior) By 2nd century – church leaders begin

collecting manuscripts

Christianity in power

315 CE – Edict of Milan – Constantine Christianity becomes legal

325 CE Council of Nicaea – uniform Christian doctrine

Later 4th century (Emperor Theodosius) Christianity becomes state religion of Roman Empire

382 CE – Latin Vulgate: New Testament

Christological disputes

What is the Nature of Christ? “Heresies” – unofficial ideas/ ideas

that go against official church Eg: Nestorians, Arians

Nicene creed meant to settle Eventually doctrine of the Trinity

Early Middle Ages Roman Catholic/Latin Church

becomes unifying factor among Germanic tribes & others

Charlemagne sees himself as the military protector of the Church

High Middle Ages- church power at height

Great east-west Schism 1054 – Latin West v. Byzantine Emp

Latin Church (Roman Catholic) Eastern Orthodox

Excommunicated each other; After 1453 – Moscow/Muscovy

declared self center of Orthodoxy

Scholasticism Reconciling classical reasoning

(Aristotle) and Christian faith Thomas Aquinas - Summa

Theologica Forms the theological basis of

the Roman Catholic Church

Corruption v. Heresy

Wealth & power of upper clergy (nobles) Investiture: simony & nepotism

Lack of discipline among clergy Lack of education/knowledge among

clergy Avignon Papacy & Great Schism

“Heretics” John Wycliffe – theology prof @ Oxford

English translation of NT John Huss – theology prof @ Prague

Burned at the stake This heresy: objected to worldliness of

clergy; advocated personal salvation;

challenge to church authority

Northern Renaissance

Renaissance Humanism outside of Italy:

Different emphasis – concern over problems in society

Search for more personal religious practices

“New Monarchies”

The Protestant Reformation ended the unity of the Christian church in the West –

Christianity was eventually fragmented into dozens of denominations…

Why did Christian unity come to Why did Christian unity come to an end and how did that impact an end and how did that impact society?society?

Origins of the Origins of the ReformationReformation

Began in German states because it lacked a strong central government

Holy Roman Empire included over 300 semi-independent states

Some wanted independence from the Holy Roman Empire

Weak emperor could not control independent ideas about religion within the German states

Martin LutherMartin Luther

started Reformation German monk, became

professor of theology at University of Wittenberg

Came to believe in Justification By Faith: a person could be made just, or good, simply by faith in God's mercy and love

How did it start…?

Selling Selling IndulgencesIndulgences

Pope Leo X sold church positions and indulgences to raise money for the church

Indulgences - certificates issued by the Church that were said to reduce or even cancel punishment for a person's sin

People purchased indulgences, believing it insured them a spot in heaven

John Tetzel, Church's agent for selling indulgences in N.Germany, promised peasants that indulgences would relieve them of guilt for future sins….

•Could also buy indulgences for salvation of their dead relatives! - "Once you hear the money's "Once you hear the money's ring, the soul from purgatory is free to spring."ring, the soul from purgatory is free to spring."•Purgatory - place in the afterlife where people are made fit for heaven

Luther’s ProtestLuther’s Protest October 31, 1517:

nailed on door of Wittenberg Church the 95 Theses –

arguments to debate - Criticized sale of indulgences

Printed copies of Theses spread

Two Main Teachings Two Main Teachings of Lutherof Luther

justification by faithjustification by faith only God’s grace through Christ saves; no

amount of good works could do it...

priesthood of all believerspriesthood of all believers all Christians are equal before God

these ideas challenged basic church doctrine…that is, they were heresy

•1521: Pope Excommunicated Luther•Diet of Worms (Germany) - tried to get Luther to recant criticisms•Luther refused; condemned as a heretic•Went into hiding; translated Bible into German

The The Empire Empire Strikes Strikes Back!Back!

LutheranismLutheranism vs. vs. CatholicismCatholicism

Emphasized salvation by faith alone

Bible only source of religious truth

Church = community of individual believers

Stressed faith and good works in salvation

Church authority & teachings important as spiritual guide

Church = clerical hierarchy

LutheranismLutheranism vs. vs.

CatholicismCatholicism All occupations

were vocations in which people could serve God

Ministers – guides

only baptism & communion

Priesthood only calling in which people could serve God

Priests – special powers

administer 7 sacraments

Religious WarReligious War Luther’s conflict with the church led to

violence Peasants revolted - the Lutheran princes

crushed the rebellion Civil War between the HRE supported by

Catholic princes & the Lutheran princes 1555 Peace of Augsburg – gave each

German prince the authority to chose the religion of his state (Cath. or Luth)

The Spread The Spread of of ProtestantisProtestantismm

Huldrych ZwingliHuldrych Zwingli Swiss priest wanted to break completely

with Catholic tradition and the Holy Roman Empire

1525 established a protestant THEOCRACY (church-run state) in Zurich, Switzerland

1531 died in battle between Catholics & Protestants

John CalvinJohn Calvin Frenchman who fled to Switzerland argued that God determines

fate of every person before born- PREDESTINATION Those predestined (chosen beforehand)

were called “the elect” Calvin turned Geneva into model religious

community (theocracy)

Consistory (Church council) required citizens to attend services; inspected homes - Geneva earned title "City of God."

While Lutheranism spread in Northern Germany and Scandinavia

Calvinism spread into Scotland (presbyterians), England (puritans), Netherlands (Dutch Reformed) especially

Huguenots were Calvinists in France

John KnoxJohn Knox Leader of the Reformation in Scotland Founded Presbyterian Church based on

Calvin’s teachings Presbytery - group of elected

decision makers of the church “Priesthood of all believers”

--equality

AnabaptistsAnabaptists Only baptized adult members Denied authority of local governments to

direct their lives - said Christ was their only authority (separation of church and state)

1534 - radical Anabaptists seized power in German city of Munster (burned books, took property) Lutherans & Catholics united to crush them

Sketch of the 1535 execution of leaders of the sect in Münster, and photo of the church where their corpses were displayed. The cages still remain.

Henry Henry VIIIVIII England’s King Henry

wanted to divorce his wife, Catherine of Aragon for not producing a male heir to the throne

(daughter: Mary) Catholic Church forbade

divorce - refused to dissolve Henry’s marriage

Henry withdrew England from Catholic Church married Anne Boleyn and created a new church

Act of Supremacy - Parliament created Church of England (Anglican Church) with king as its head

King took church lands and abolished monasteries

important Englishmen were required to swear oath accepting king as head of the church instead of the Pope...

Sir Thomas MoreSir Thomas More - - King Henry’s former chancellor who

refused to take the oath…. As humanist believed in

religious tolerance - but was loyal to the Catholic Church

(author of Utopia!) Beheaded for treason

Henry’s wives & Henry’s wives & ChildrenChildren

Catherine of Aragon Mary Anne Boleyn Elizabeth Jane Seymour Edward Anne of Cleves Catherine Howard Catherine Parr

Son Edward inherited throne 1st

DivBehDiedDivBehSurv

Changes in the English Changes in the English ChurchChurch

Henry was NOT a protestant The English church was separated from

the Roman Catholic Church But few changes were allowed in the

church by Henry However, changes were made during the

reign of Henry’s son and the English church became protestant

Edward Edward VIVI – under a – under a regentregent

The boy king, Edward, was under a regent because of his minority

The 1st regent – his uncle – introduced Protestant reforms into the church:

English liturgy – Anglican Prayer Book Salvation by faith Images, ornamentation & much ritual removed When sickly Edward died at 16 some protestant

nobles attempted to keep his sister Mary from inheriting the throne because she was Catholic

{ { Lady Jane Lady Jane GreyGrey }}

Edward’s 15 year old cousin Lady Jane Grey was claimed Queen by some dominant nobles

Duke of Northumberland had arranged a marriage between her and his son, Guilford Dudley

But quickly people rallied to the support of the rightful heir, Mary Tudor

Troops abandoned Jane for Mary Guilford & Jane were executed for treason She had been queen 9 days

Mary Mary II Catholic daughter of Catherine

of Aragon Married to Catholic Philip II

of Spain Sought to revive Catholicism Protestants revolted Persecution of Protestants led to her

being known as: Bloody MaryBloody Mary

Elizabeth Elizabeth I (I (1558-1558-

16031603)) 25 years old; ruled 45 years! Protestant; re-established the Anglican

Church as the National Church “The Virgin Queen” never married

because…. “Courted” the English people Emphasized loyalty for England over

religion

Subject of assassination plots 1587 – forced to give the order to execute

her cousin, Mary Queen of Scots Catholic Mary (Stuart) had been living in

England after haven been driven from Scotland by scandal

Mary communicated with Catholic Spain who wanted Elizabeth dead so Mary could take the throne

War with War with Spain!Spain!

After Mary’s execution, Spain attempted an invasion with their feared “invincible” Armada (navy)

English “pirates” had been attacking Spanish ships and New World ports

The Armada was defeated by the weather and the smaller, faster English ships

Other Religious WarsOther Religious Wars Spain Spain tries to put down Protestantism in

the Netherlands Dutch Netherlands eventually gains

independence from Spain FranceFrance endures religious wars through 4

kings – eventually protestants (Huguenots) are given some religious freedom – for a while…