The Protestant Reformation

The Renaissance

What is the Renaissance?

• 1300 to 1600

• An explosion of creativity in Europe.

• Began in Italy and spread north.

• France and England were locked in the Hundred Years' War.

Humanism

• Focus on humankind as the center of intellectual and artistic endeavor.

• Emphasized the study of classical texts and ancient languages.

The Renaissance

Da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man

Secularism

• Worldly, less religious (compare to Middle Ages)

• Focus on the now, not the hereafter

The Renaissance

Santa Maria Novella Florence

City-State of Urbino

Duke and Duchess of Urbino

The

Renaissance

The Printing Press

• Invented in 1440 inspired by Chinese technology

• Gutenberg Bibles

• Impact:• Renaissance/religious

reform ideas spread rapidly

• Increased literacy

10541517

Causes of the Reformation

• Church corruption (indulgences)

• Lax clerical standards

• Renaissance Humanism

• 1/3 of Europe was church land

• Printing Press

Martin Luther

****Salvation by faith alone!****

• Indulgences = absolution for sins → CORRUPT

• 1517 – Posted “95 Theses” that challenged the

Church.

• Christian belief should be based on the Bible,

not the authority of the pope.

• Translated the 1st German Bible.

• Protesters became known as Protestants.

Indulgence $$ was used to build this!

Politics of Religion

• German princes in the Holy Roman Empire liked these ideas → too many Italian popes beautifying Rome with German funds.

• Germans & Scandinavians largely converted

• Peasants often defied masters by adopting different faith

Martin Luther

Calvinism

****Salvation is predestined!****

• Geneva, Switzerland

• Hard work emphasized

• Followers:

– Presbyterians in Scotland

– Huguenots in France

– Puritans in England

Anglicanism

• Act of Supremacy declared King of England the leader of the Church of England.

• Initially, very Catholic in practice because this was a political division.

Anglicanism

Elizabeth I

• Nationalized the Church of England (reduced Catholic influences)

• 1st attempted colony (joint-stock companies)

• Defeats Philip II’s Spanish Armada in 1588 (sent to challenge England’s

supremacy/Protestant faith)

Anglicanism

Catholic Church responded to the Reformation with a Counter-Reformation:

• Inquisition – root out unbelievers and punish them (Spain)

• Jesuits (Society of Jesus) – Founded by Ignatius of Loyola; well-educated priests who wanted to stop the spread of Protestantism

• Council of Trent – prohibited indulgences; reaffirmed all other teachings.

HUGE SUCCESS!

Catholic Reformation

• Cause: HRE (Hapsburgs) wanted subjects to return to Catholicism; much of Europe involved.

• Effect: Peace of Westphalia

• Ends the 30 Years’ War

• Countries/duchies had more autonomy

• Religious map stable

• Prussia emerges as a strong state

Thirty Years’ War

• Century of religious war - Thirty Years War (1618-1648)

• Widespread persecution, growth of intolerance (witch hunts)

• Many denominations of Christianity

Impact: Reformation and Counter Reformation