Protestant Reformation Causes Chaos of the Previous Centuries

Protestant Reformation Causes

Chaos of the Previous Centuries • Plague • Conciliar Movement • Christian Humanists – Reform Minded

Serious Corruption and Moral Decay • • • Simony Pluralism Absenteeism Nepotism And the last straw…Sale of Indulgences

Simony • Sale of Church Offices – So a clergyman could buy a position of bishop or cardinal – Christian Humanists not happy! Erasmus and In Praise of Folly-1513 – Erasmus "laid the egg that Luther hatched”

Pluralism • Holding more than one office at a time • Can someone do that? Why try?

Sale of Indulgences • People paid money to absolve their sins or the sins of their loved ones • Tetzel led the sale for Pope Leo X-He needed money for building St. Peter’s Cathedral in Rome • No one wants to be stuck in Purgatory

Absenteeism • Someone not participating in benefices but receiving payment and privileges • Benefices=A job in church like rector in which you earn income or property

Nepotism • Appointment of family member • 2 Popes were sons of the Medici Family – Leo X and Clement VIII

Those That Came Before Luther • • • John Wyclif (England-1329 -1384) Bible is Sole Authority Lollards Diminished Importance of Sacraments Personal Communion with God

John Hus • • • Hussites-Czech Religious Leader in Bohemian Region 1369 -1415 Views similar to Wyclif Burned at the Stake as a heretic