Causes of the Protestant Reformation When should one question authority?

Before the Reformation Until the 1500s, the Catholic Church was the most powerful institution in Europe, and it was led by the Pope However, some people were starting to be dissatisfied with how the Church was doing things Eventually, this would result in the creation of new types of Christian churches during a time period called the Protestant Reformation

Social and Political Problems The Renaissance had caused some changes that set the stage for the Reformation to begin: The printing press meant more people could read the Bible for themselves Humanism encouraged people to ask questions However, it was problems in the Church itself that caused the Reformation to start

Corruption in the Catholic Church The Church began to get a reputation for being corrupt Church leaders abused their power in various ways Bishops and the clergy often lived like the very wealthy, and seemed part of the ruling elite Sometimes, important jobs within the Church were sold to the highest bidder, rather than given to the most deserving person

Corruption in the Catholic Church (con.) Other examples of corruption in the Church: Catholic churches were full of expensive works of art: statues, shrines, paintings, relics of saints, altars ornamented with gold and jewels. The Church charged followers huge fees and tithes (tax- 1/10 th of income). Those who couldn’t pay faced excommunication (refusal of sacraments-basically being kicked out of the Church). Heretics (people who spoke out against the Church) were usually excommunicated or put to death.

Indulgences One of the biggest ways the Church was corrupt was the practice of selling indulgences People would pay the Church in exchange for forgiveness of sins Why do you think this practice upset so many people?

What was the result of corruption in the Catholic Church? More and more people began to question the Catholic Church A German monk named Martin Luther decided to make a list of the complaints he had about the Church and post it in public so other people could see it. When he posted this list, called the 95 Theses, the Reformation began

The Reformers Watch the videos on the wiki to learn more about Martin Luther and two other Protestant Reformers, John Calvin and Henry VIII Take notes on your Reformation worksheet