The Protestant Reformation Part B

1.Why did Martin Luther dislike Indulgences? Because, in Luther’s view, it undermined the idea that salvation was a gift from God that came through faith As Luther saw it, a sinner could not purchase his own salvation

2. How did Luther’s objections to indulgences launch the Protestant Reformation? Luther, a theology professor, composed 95 Theses, a series of theological propositions that he wanted to debate Around late 1517, these 95 Theses became public

3. What was so controversial about Luther’s 95 Theses? Luther, among other things, challenged the legitimacy of indulgences, and in doing so, seemed to challenge Church authority

4. Who was selling indulgences near Wittenburg, the town where Luther taught and lived? Johann Tetzel Tetzel had an an advertising jingle: “Once the coin in the coffer rings, a soul from Purgatory springs.”

5. What became of Luther’s 95 Theses in short order? They were printed and published 6. How did the printing press spark the Protestant Reformation? The printing press made it possible for written ideas to be mass produced, and that’s what happened to many of Luther’s writings. Luther’s writings appealed to many of the common people.

7. According to Protestant lore, when did Luther first post his 95 Theses? On October 31, 1517, when he nailed his 95 Theses to the Church door in Wittenburg Scholars are divided as to whether or not this actually happened But we do know that Luther’s 95 Theses were sent on to higher Church authorities And we know that Luther’s 95 Theses ended up being printed and published to a wider audience

8. As the years went by, and the Church denounced Luther’s views, how did Luther respond? He began to challenge the authority of the Pope Keep in mind, according to the Catholic Church, the Pope was the successor to the Apostle Peter, the rock upon which Christ built his Church

9. From 1513 to 1521, who was the Pope, the Bishop of Rome? Pope Leo X Leo X was from the Medici family 10. By 1520, what was Luther moving toward? A complete break with the Roman Catholic Church

11. What were some of Luther’s teachings that contradicted Catholic teachings? He ultimately came to deny the apostolic authority of the Pope He claimed only two valid sacraments: Baptism and Communion He claimed the clergy could marry He taught justification by faith alone

12. In January 1521, what did the Catholic Church do to Luther? Excommunicated him That is, they kicked him out of the Catholic Church 13. Who else was Luther in trouble with? Charles V, the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire

14. When Luther appeared before Charles V and the Diet of Worms (an imperial assembly) in 1521 what did he refuse to do? Luther refused to recant his views 15. After Worms, Luther became what? An outlaw in the Holy Roman Empire Luther went into hiding

16. Those who followed Luther’s teachings became known as whom? Lutherans 17. Because some German princes became Lutheran (Protestant), what “country” was in danger of splitting? The Holy Roman Empire

18. What was the 1555 Peace of Augsburg? An agreement within the Holy Roman Empire in which each Prince would determine the religion of his own principality The religion of your prince would therefore be your religion It was a baby step, but Religious pluralism had come to Western Christendom

19. What is religious pluralism? A situation in which more than one religious viewpoint exists in a given area, and is legally allowed to remain that way Today, hyper-pluralism exists in much of Christendom, so much so that it raises this question: Is there any such thing as Christendom anymore?