1. The Protestant Reformation
Martin Luther
John Calvin
King Henry VIII

2. Complaints with the Church
1. Priests & bishops didn’t know or follow basic church teachings
2. Pope placed politics before religious duties

3. 3. Church was too rich Sale of indulgences
People paid money to reduce time in purgatory
People could buy their way into heaven

4. Desiderius Erasmus Dutch (Priest & Writer)
Problems caused by lazy clergy (1509)
His criticisms of the Church made people more open to Martin Luther’s teachings
Stayed Catholic
Criticized during Protestant Reformation by both sides
Catholics: Caused the Reformation
Protestants: Called him an inconsistent coward for not becoming Lutheran

5. Martin Luther German (Priest)
October 31, 1517: Martin Luther nailed the 95 Theses to the door of a church in Wittenberg, Germany
Criticized Church practices, like sale of indulgences
Exploiting poor, pope has no power over purgatory
Saved by faith, not acts
Printing press spread ideas throughout Europe

7. Reaction to Luther German bishops sent copy to Pope Leo X
Pope Leo X excommunicated Luther for being a heretic (1521)
Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V, ordered Luther to appear before a Diet (a council of nobles and church officials) in Worms, Germany (1521)
Nobles supported Luther
Charles V outlawed Luther and exiled him
Luther remained in hiding for over a year

8. Protestants
Protestants: People who sided with Luther and protested against the church (1529)

9. Luther’s Teachings Lutherans: People who followed Luther’s teachings
1. Anyone can have a direct relationship with
God
Challenged traditional structure of the Church
2. Beliefs should be based on Bible, not
tradition
Translated Bible into German
3. Clergy should not interfere with politics

10. William Tyndale English
Believed everyone should be able to read & interpret Bible
Fled England to translate Bible into English (1526)
Catholic authorities executed him (1536)

11. John Calvin French, fled to Switzerland Started preaching in 1536
Saved by faith, not acts
Followers called Calvinists

12. Calvin’s Teachings
Predestination: God determined who was going to heaven before they were born
Said it wasn’t bad to pursue profits– influenced rise of Capitalism
1541: Made religious & political leader in Geneva, Switzerland
Passed laws to force people to live Calvin’s teachings

13. King Henry VIII Wanted annulment so he could remarry & have an heir
Pope refused
1534: Declared himself head of Church of England (Anglican Church)
Rituals and beliefs very similar to Catholic Church
Opened England to Protestantism

14. Spread of Protestantism in Europe
Green: Roman Catholic
Blue: Protestant

15. Group Activity
Create a timeline of the influential people and events of the Protestant Reformation, starting with Erasmus’ The Pursuit of Folly.