1. 1.2.Ideas & the Human Experience
Unit 1 WH3219
October 2016
Part 2

2. C. The Protestant Reformation
Brainstorm the different Christian churches that we have today in and around our town / local area
Prior to the Protestant Reformation, Roman Catholicism was the dominant branch of Christianity
The PR effectively ended the dominance of the Catholic Church in Western Europe & saw the beginning of new branches of Christianity such as Lutheranism and Anglicanism

3. Pre-Reformation Church
The Catholic Church was the dominant spiritual influence in western Europe.
The pope became the strongest political leader in western Europe
All people were sinners and dependent on God’s grace, or favor

4. Pre-Reformation Europe
Popes used excommunication to force monarchs and nobles to obey the Church.
Unpopular methods to raise money
Church fees for services
Selling of Church positions (Simony)
Indulgences
The Church sold tickets of indulgences (forgiveness) from sins for money. This suggested that the rich could buy their way into Heaven while the poor could not - quite the opposite of what the Bible says.

5. Pre-Reformation Europe
Many priests were poorly educated & did not preach effectively
In addition, few worshippers could read or write so knowledge of the Christian faith often came from statutes, paintings, & later the stained glass windows that adorned most medieval churches

6. Pre-Reformation Europe
Masses were conducted in Latin, so people generally had a limited understanding of church rituals
People lived according to the 7 Sacraments

7. Pre-Reformation Europe
The Catholic Church helped to govern western Europe
Bishops & Abbots played a major role in the feudal system which boosted the Church’s wealth and political power
With increased wealth, many church officials became increasingly careless about carrying out their religious duties….maintained a princely lifestyle
Popes had come to accumulate great wealth & power which shocked many ordinary priests & other Christians (these people paid high & high taxes to support this luxury)

8. Pre-Reformation Europe
By 1500, trouble had been building in the Catholic Church for two centuries
Babylonian Captivity …..election of a French pope stationed in Avignon, France
the Great Schism ….. two popes were elected—one in Rome, one in France—neither of whom recognized the other.
These crisis damaged the prestige of the Church throughout Europe

9. Pre-Reformation Europe
Several reformers tried to point out the problems associated with the Church but all were met with resistance or punishment.
John Wyclif ( ) - Believed the church should only follow Scripture. - Translated the Bible into English
John Hus ( ): Ideas similar to Wyclif - Led a nationalist movement in Bohemia (modern-day Czech Republic) - Burned at the stake for his heretical views

10. Pre-Reformation Europe
Deeply religious people from all over Europe were ready for real change
The invention of the printing press in the 1440’s helped spread awareness of the Church's abuses and it was translated into the people’s mother tongues which allowed people to read and interpret the Bible for themselves.

11. The Troubled CHURCH (UNDATED Reformation Woodcut)