Reformation History

The Beginnings of Religious Reforms  Corrupt Priesthood  Moral Decay of the Church  Decline of Papal Power  People of the Reformation Immorality of the Clergy. Celibacy for clergy became Roman Church law in This mandate tempted all kinds of immorality. The abodes of the clergy were often dens of corruption. It was a common sight to see priests frequenting the taverns, gambling, and having orgies with quarrels and blasphemy. Many of the clergy kept mistresses, and convents became houses of ill fame. In many places the people were delighted at seeing a priest keep a mistress, that the married women might be safe from his seductions. “Salvation, taken from the hands of God, fell into those of the priests, who set themselves in the place of our Lord. Souls thirsting for pardon were no more to look to heaven, but to the Church, and above all to its pretended head. To these blinded souls the Roman pontiff was God. Hence the greatness of the popes - hence unutterable abuses”

Peter Waldus  12th Century Reformer  Followers attempted to reduce the ecclesiastical government in their lives  Considered every Christian qualified and authorized to instruct and exhort  Confession to a priest not necessary  Prayer for the dead useless and vain

John Wycliffe ( )  Opposed the Pope—two officers in the Church: elders and deacons  Formed societies to preach to the poor— “Lollards”  Scriptures were the only source of authority

 May 4, 1415 the Council of Constance declared him a hertic and commanded his books to be burned and his body exhumed and burned  12 years later this was carried out and his ashes were thrown in the river Swift.  Translated Bible into English

Martin Luther ( )  Challenged authority of pope  Luther was angered by the sale of indulgences led to nailing 95 theses to the church door  Bible is the only infallible source of religious authority  All baptized Christians are a universal priesthood

 Luther declared early church had no pope  1522 published the N.T. in German

John Calvin ( )  Literal interpretation of Scripture  Church organization Pastors Teachers Elders Deacons

 Invited to build Reformed church in Geneva  Imposed a strict morality  Thrown out of Geneva  Moved to Strasbourg were he began writing commentaries on the Bible  Invited back to Geneva

 Calvin’s doctrine accepted by the masses  Practically all denomuinational churches are Calvinist to some degree  Predestination the core of Calvin’s belief  Calvinism can be seen in the acrostic “Tulip”

T- Total Depravity U – Unconditional Election L – Limited Atonement I – Irresistible Grace P- Perseverance of the Saints