1. The Reformation

2. I. Reforming the Church
The power of the Church had been increasingly criticized throughout the Middle Ages
The ideas planted during the Renaissance began a movement to actually change the Church
Reformation – a movement for religious reform
Why were people upset?
Some rulers/leaders began to challenge Church authority
Northern merchants disliked paying taxes to church in Rome
Some argued that Church leaders were corrupt
Priests and bishops were uneducated and/or broke vows
Printing press made it possible to quickly spread these new ideas/information about Church reform

3. II. Martin Luther German monk, lived 1483-1546
Angry over the practice of selling indulgences:
A pardon that released a sinner from performing the penalty that a priest imposed for sins
Many thought that buying indulgences guaranteed them a spot in heaven
Wrote the 95 Theses (formal statements) attacking the Church
3 main ideas:
Salvation was through faith in God’s gift of forgiveness, not through “good works”
Church teachings should be based only on words of the Bible
People could interpret the Bible for themselves

4. II. Continued… Luther was excommunicated in 1520
Edict of Worms – Holy Roman Emperor Charles V declared Luther an outlaw and heretic
Luther went into hiding, continued to work
Continued to gain followers, who formed new religious group called Lutherans
Protestant – term used to describe Western European Christians who belonged to non-Catholic churches

5. Letter to the Editor
Pretend you are living during the time of Martin Luther and the Reformation. What side are you on?
Write a letter to the local newspaper editor, in the voice of someone from that time period, explaining your position.
Use terms and examples from the notes and readings.
2 paragraphs

6. III. England Becomes Protestant
King Henry VIII needed a male heir
He wanted to divorce his wife Catherine, to marry Anne Boleyn, whom he thought would give him a son
Catholic law forbids divorce, Pope refused to annul (set aside) the marriage
1529 – Henry convinces Parliament to declare him head of England’s Church
Between the death of Henry and the start of Queen Elizabeth’s reign, England struggled to find peace between Catholics and Protestants
1559 – Queen Elizabeth I established the Anglican Church – Church of England
Attempted to bring compromise between Catholics and Protestants

7. IV. The Reformation Spreads
Calvinism – religion based on the ideas/teachings of John Calvin
Based around the idea of predestination – God has known since the beginning of time who will be saved
Argued that a theocracy (government controlled by religious leaders) was best
Calvinism spreads throughout Europe
In Scotland, followers became known as Presbyterians – leaders of the church were called presbyters (elders)
Other religious groups form throughout Europe
Anabaptists – taught that Church and state (government) should be separate, refused to fight in wars
Persecuted by both Catholics and Protestants

8. V. Further Changes & Impact
Catholic Reformation
Because Protestant churches gained so many followers, the Catholic church attempted to change and adapt
Papal reform
Banned the false selling of indulgences (could not tell people they were guaranteed to go to Heaven)
Cleaned up corruption in high Church positions
Jesuits helped spread ideas and convert non-Christians to Catholicism
Impact of Reformation on Society
Education became more important in spreading beliefs of both Catholics and Protestants
Individual monarchs/nations become more powerful as the Catholic Church struggled