1. The Protestant Reformation
Essential Question: What issues in the Catholic Church led to Martin Luther writing his 95 Theses?

2. Pope competed with Italian princes for political power
Pope lived lavish lives
Paid for their lifestyles through indulgences
Indulgence-lessened the time a soul would spend in purgatory (where souls go to wait to enter heaven, atone for sins committed during their life)

3. England 1300s, John Wycliffe called for change by using his sermons and writings
After his death, his movement was still kept alive in secret

4. Martin Luther: Wittenberg, Germany– 1517
German monk and professor of theology
Wittenberg, Germany– 1517
Johann Tetzel offered indulgences to Christian who gave money to build St. Peter
Claimed it would get them into heaven for both the buyer and their deceased family
Peasants could not afford this

5. 95 Theses– Luther’s arguments/criticisms of the Catholic Church
Not in the bible, pope could NOT release souls from purgatory
Only saved through FAITH
Printed and distributed throughout Europe
Church called on Luther to take back what he said
1521, Pope Leo excommunicated Luther
Diet of Worms– Luther was called on by Charles V the Holy Roman Emperor
Diet = meeting of German princes
Charles wanted Luther to recant and Luther refused
Charles declared Luther to be an outlaw

6. Luther wanted people to be able to read the bible for themselves  translated parts into German
Banned indulgences, confession and prayers to the saints
Emphasized the sermon
Allowed clergy to marry

7. The printing press helped to spread the ideas of Luther
1524– peasant revolt
Wanted social and economic change
Grew violent and Luther denounced it
By 1530, went by Lutherans or Protestants
German princes accepted Luther  wanted to throw out the authority of the Catholic Church and Charles V
Seized church property

8. Peace of Augsburg- Charles V tried to force the princes back into the Catholic Church
Signed in 1555, allowed each prince to DECIDE their religion!!
North = Lutheran South = Catholic

9. Switzerland-Ulrich Zwingli, stressed the bible over elaborate rituals
John Calvin– explained how to organize and run the Protestant church
Predestination-idea that God determined who would gain salvation – Saints and Sinners
Geneva, set up a theocracy-government run by the church

10. Saw themselves as “chosen people”
Stressed hard work, discipline, thrift, honestly, and morality
Faced fines and punishment for cursing, fighting, laughing in church, or dancing
Reformers visited Geneva and took the ideas home
By the late 1500s, Calvinism had spread to Germany, France, The Netherlands, England and Scotland
Led to bloody wars in Europe
In Germany both Catholics and Lutherans were against Calvinism
France, wars against the Calvanists and Catholics
In England some fled persecution to the Americas
Scotland, John Knox (Calvinist) overthrew the Catholic queen