World Civ Unit 3 Protestant Reformation Before Protestant

World Civ Unit 3 Protestant Reformation

Before Protestant Reformation: Power of the Church • Princes and Emperor didn’t like sharing power with the Pope, but power increased when sanctioned by the Pope • Unifying force with undisputed control in otherworldly issues and huge sway in worldly issues • Could only get to heaven the church’s way

Church Gets Into Trouble • Sells indulgences – Generates income: maintains power over the masses – Needs to finance patrons: Renaissance Artists – Paying for construction of St. Peter’s Basilica (Church in Vatican City where the Pope lives) – Reduces time in Purgatory for self and for family members already there • Controls huge blocks of land • Doesn’t pay taxes • Temporarily 2 Popes: France claims their own for 7 decades • Church too concerned with wealth and power

Church Gets Into Trouble cont’d. • Clergy not well-trained or spiritual – Some appointed for political purposes – Corrupt: spiritually bankrupt • Early attempts at reform – John Wycliffe (Oxford University) Church should return to spiritual values • Body burned and followers persecuted – Jan Hus (Bohemia) urged reform • Burned at the stake • Led to decades long war – Savonarola (Dominican Friar-Clergy) used violence to fight church

Martin Luther • Frustrations: produced 95 Theses – – Selling of indulgences Worldly nature of Rome Church services not in vernacular Salvation by grace through faith, not by indulgences or through the church – Don’t need church as intermediary: go right to Bible • Diet at Worms: refused to recant, saved by Prince and not killed

Christianity Splits • Consequences – Luther’s followers become Lutheran Church – New leaders emerge with other Biblical interpretations • • John Calvin: predestination of the elect Huguenots in France Pilgrims in US Anglicans in England – King Henry VIII creates the Anglican Church a. k. a. Church of England • Pope refused his annulment • Allows King to confiscate church property – Over 100, 000 people died in the turmoil

Philosophical Consequences • If the strongest institution, the Church, can be questioned, anything is fair game • Nature of Universe • Role of government • Set a foundation for future revolutions

Protestant Beliefs • Originally favored simplicity of the institution of the church, but when Protestant church grew too large—it often became too concerned with politics and bureaucracy like the Catholic Church • Placed less emphasis on rituals and sacraments • Opposed veneration of Mary and the Saints • Only Grace through Faith can save sinful man, not Popes, Priests, or rituals • Reading the Bible and interpreting it for self: contributed to higher literacy rates • More lenient about divorce • Allowed clergy to marry • Rejected transubstantiation: communion with wine and bread

Counter Reformation a. k. a. Catholic Reformation • Gained credibility – Stopped selling indulgences – Trained priests and bishops requiring some spirituality – Jesuits: stricter training—began missionary push into China, US, etc. • Reconfirmed absolute authority—wouldn’t budge – Sunday Mass mandatory – Council of Trent 1545, 1563 defined rules • How to get salvation • Latin • Punished heretics – Succeeds in winning back many converts

Results: European Conflict • Southern Europe, France, and South Germany are Catholic • Northern Europe, England, North Germany, Scandinavia are Lutheran, Anglican, or Calvinist

Effects of Reformation • Luther’s insistence on Bible being translated into German/Vernacular spread literacy • Support of German Princes led to increased nationalism • War (100, 000+ deaths) German Princes—Lutheranism vs. Catholicism – Germany can’t become unified nation • Religious wars freed Netherlands (Calvinism) from Spain • Henry VIII separated England from Catholic Church – Made himself the head of the Anglican Church – An Act of Supremacy • Ended Medieval way where the Catholic Church was the sole source of stability in Europe

Effects of Reformation cont’d. • Anticlericalism – Dismay over corruption of clergy – Luther said Priests weren’t necessary • Growth of Middle Class continues—good works and material success a confirmation of salvation • Created a Middle Class that would eventually help establish democracies • Increased questioning of political authority • Strengthened the power of Monarchs/Kings as Papal power decreased • Encouraged education—Protestants wanted children to be able to read and interpret the Bible • Improved the status of women WITHIN marriage—writers encouraged love between man and wife • Created even more Protestant churches