TheThe ReformationReformationHistoriography

Photo Credits•Sacred Destinations Lucas Cranach

•Gertrude Kanu Lee Lai

•Stephen Komp Charlotte Nordahl

•Mike Reed Alex Bepple

•Debra Dinda R. Bean

Multiple Viewpoints

• Catholic: reckless revolt

– polity / church governance

• Protestant: religious vitality

– religious vitality

• Secular: cultural maze-way

– class/cultural struggle

Complex Causes

• Derivative:– Many causes had roots in

prior century’s struggles

• Determinative:– Creative and bold leaders

were instrumental in shaping Reformation direction

Demarcating the Reformation • Continental Reformation

– 1517-1545 (Wittenberg to Trent)

• Breadth / Scope

– German (Lutheran)

– Swiss (Reformed)

– Radical (Anabaptist)

– English (Anglican)

– Catholic (Counter-reformation)

TheThe ReformationReformationFive Causes ofContinental Reformation

Photo Credits•Sacred Destinations Lucas Cranach

•Gertrude Kanu Lee Lai

•Stephen Komp Charlotte Nordahl

•Mike Reed Alex Bepple

•Debra Dinda R. Bean

Education Enhancements

• Impact of Nominalism on scholastic theology– Undercut Medieval

synthesis

• The New Learning(15th-16th centuries)

– Impact of Renaissance and Christian humanism

New World Discoveries

• Exploration opened up

European world to Western

hemisphere

• Rise of Imperialism— coveting

of new world wealth

• Political imperialism inspired

religious expansion and control

Economic Transformation

• Church was draining resources

to finance ultramontane

agendas

• Discontent among peasants

exploited by landowners

• Merchant class (bourgeois)

expanding in power/size

Rising Nationalism – Nation States

• From feudalism to centralized

monarchies

• Splintering the Empire in 16th

c

• Severance from Papal-Church

control

• Dissolving ancient ideal of

Christendom -- End of an Era

Four Ecclesiastical Pressures 1. Problems in structure / function of papacy

– Secularity / declining authority of hierarchy

– Church taxation become more burdensome

– Many poor Popes just preceding the Reformation

– Religious abuses: interdict / excommunication

common

– Political intrigue: Questions over papacy’s

temporal power raised

Four Ecclesiastical Pressures 2. Problems in the function of the church

– Secularization of clergy

– Education: priestly education needed

– Simony: creating offices and selling the posts

– Sinecures: Salaried position without any work

– Injustices/abuses

– Indulgence abuses

Four Ecclesiastical Pressures 3. Doctrinal Confusion: Misunderstanding the

source of decadence/decay

– Official view of 16th c. reform skewed –

moral/practical only

– Doctrinal/theological change needed

4. Failure of all earlier attempts at reform

– Mysticism

– Conciliarism

– Prophetic Messengers

TheThe ReformationReformationThe Lutheran Reformationof Martin Luther

Photo Credits•Sacred Destinations Lucas Cranach

•Gertrude Kanu Lee Lai

•Stephen Komp Charlotte Nordahl

•Mike Reed Alex Bepple

•Debra Dinda R. Bean

Martin Luther Biographical Sketch • Formative Years to 1517

– Born to Hans Luder (miner)– University of Erfert – Monastery: Augustinian Monk – Ordained: A miserable first mass– Pursuit of Theological Studies

• Wittenberg University• Pilgrimage to Rome

– Evangelical Breakthrough • Romans 1:16-17• “97 Theses”

Hans Luder

Margarethe Luder

Martin Luther Biographical Sketch

• Indulgence Developments – 1517– Archbishop’s request for dispensation

– Tetzel preaches the papal Indulgence

– Frederick the Wise of Saxony prohibited sale in his territory

– Luther shocked by instructions given• Oct. 31 1517 he posts “95 Theses” on

Wittenberg Castle Church to dispute issue

Schlosskirche - Castle Churchby Alex Bepple

Schlosskirche - Castle Churchby Alex Bepple

Martin Luther Biographical Sketch

• Indulgence Developments – 1517– Archbishop’s request for dispensation

– Tetzel preaches the papal Indulgence

– Frederick the Wise of Saxony prohibited sale in his territory

– Luther shocked by instructions given• Oct. 31 1517 he posts “95 Theses” on

Wittenberg Castle Church to dispute issue

– Rapid dissemination of Theses

Reaction to the “Wild Boar” • Luther Ordered to Give an Account of His

Ideas – Diet of Augsburg

• The Leipzig Debate, 1519

– Eck vs. Luther – The excommunication

• Luther’s Publications

– On Good Works

– Address to Christian Nobility of the German Nation

– Babylonian Captivity of the Church

– The Freedom of a Christian

Reaction to the “Wild Boar”• The Diet of Worms - January 1521

“My conscience is a prisoner of God’s word. I cannot and will not recant, for to disobey one’s conscience is neither just nor safe. God help me. Amen.”

• Here I stand: by Roland Bainton

Motto: “Peace where possible, but truth at any cost.”

Edict of Worms: Condemns Luther as heretic

Luther is now to be seen as a convicted heretic. He has 21 days from the 15th of April. After that time, no one should give him shelter. His followers also are to be condemned, and his books will be erased from human memory.

Painting of the Diet of Worms in the Lutherhalle, Wittenbergby S Komp

Plaque marking the spot where Luther stood before

the Diet of Worms

Detail of plaque at Diet of Worms

Reaction to the “Wild Boar”

• Frederick the Wise “kidnaps” Luther

– Secluded at Wartburg Castle as “Knight George”

– Translates Bible into German

– Writes “On Monastic Vows”

Reformation Takes Hold 1521-1530

• Problems back at Wittenberg– Karlstadt

– The Zwickau Prophets

– Eight Days of Wittenberg Sermons

• Further Events in the early movement– Political contests helped shield Luther from arrest

– Humanist Separation over the nature of man

– Radical Reformers like Thomas Muntzer

– Peasant Revolt 1524-1525

– Luther’s marriage to Katherine von Bora in 1525

City Church (Stadtkirche)

Painting of Martin Luther being introduced to Katherina von Bora

Katherine von Bora

Katharinenportal & exterior nichePhoto by S. Komp

Scenes

from

the

Lutherhaus

Politics of Reform

• First Diet of Speyer 1526– cuius regio eius religio – each region its own

religion

• Second Diet of Speyer 1529– Protestatio

• The Marburg Colloquy 1529 (October)– Consubstantiation vs. Memorial

• The Diet of Augsburg 1530 (June)– Augsburg Confession

• The Schmalkald League – 1531– April 15, 1531 deadline for Lutheranism

Political Developments

• Ambitious Reunion Plans of Emperor

– Charles V’s Great Plan –forced reunion

– Assisted by Protestant setbacks

• Philip of Hesse sinks his political career

• Luther dies (1546)

• Schmalkaldic Wars (1546-1552)

Political Developments

• Peace of Augsburg 1555– Equal rights (freedom of religion)

extended to Catholics and Lutherans only

– Princes determine faith, not populace

– Territories/properties revert to holdings as of 1552

– Those dissatisfied with territorial religion allowed one uninhibited emigration to territory of their choice

Reformed Doctrines of Lutheranism

Summary of Luther’s Ideology

Question

How is a person saved?

Where does religious authority lie?

What is the Church?

What is the essence of Christian living?

Lutheran Response

Not by works but by faith alone

Not in visible institution of R.C. church, but in the Word of God found in Scripture

The whole community of Christian believers, since all are priests

Serving God in any useful calling

Reformed Doctrines of Lutheranism

• The Book of Concord 1580(Last great Lutheran Creed/Symbols)

– Three Universal Creeds of early church

– Augsburg Confession

– Apology (of Augsburg Confession)

– Schmalkald Articles

– Small and Large Catechisms

• Confessionalism Protestant

Scholasticism