Painting of Luther nailing 95 theses

 

Topics on the Page

 

 

Map of where each Protestant group originated and where they were located

 

A. Background information, and the reasons for the growing discontent with the Catholic Church

 
B. Important Protestant Reformation figures, and the spread of Protestantism across Europe

• Erasmus
• Martin Luther
• John Calvin
• Catherine de Medici
• Henry VII 
• Mary I of England
• Elizabeth I 

 

C. Important Protestant Reformation events and dates

• Act of Supremacy, 1534
• Council of Trent, 1545
• Peace of Augsburg, 1555
• Edit of Nanes, 1598
• Thirty Years War, 1618-1648
• Peace of Westphalia, 1648 

 

  Multimedia Resources

See this BBC website which features a nice overview of the Middle Ages in Europe.

 

For an overview of the Reformation, here is a 15 minute CrashCourse video with cartoons

 

Short 4 minute video which provides a brief overview of the Protestant Reformation 

 

Here is an interactive timeline of some of the Protestant Reformation's important dates: http://protestantism.co.uk/timeline.html

 

Link to Khan Academy's page on the Protestant Reformation, which includes videos, primary sources and discussion questions. https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/world-history/renaissance-and-reformation/protestant-reformation/a/read-discuss

 

 

PBS lesson plans for the Protestant Reformation: 

http://www.pbs.org/empires/martinluther/class_lesson1.html

http://www.pbs.org/empires/martinluther/class_lesson2.html

 

 

 

 

A. Background information, and the reasons for the growing discontent with the Catholic Church

 

Focus Question: Why was there growing discontent with the Catholic Church before the Protestant Reformation? 

Historians roughly date the Protestant Reformation in 1517 with Martin Luther's "95 Theses." Before then, there were many causes that led up to this reformation:

 

CHURCH CORRUPTION

 

The Catholic Church found many ways to increase their revenue: 

 

• Relics: These were various types of items (straw, pieces of the cross, dove feathers, etc) that were sold to people, and were officially sanctioned by the Vatican. These particular items were considered things that were "nearest" to Jesus while he was on Earth. Many people sought after them because they believed they were pleasing God by spending money on items associated with his Son.

 

• Indulgences: These were pre- signed certificates from the Pope that were believed to reduce someone's time in purgatory and fasten the time of being admitted into Heaven. Later on, people were allowed to buy indulgences for dead relatives already in purgatory. Purchasing indulgences also elevated one's status in the eyes of the Catholic Church because not only were people buying them contributing monetarily to the Catholic Church's revenue, but it was also seen as pleasing God as well.

 

• Pilgrimages: A pilgrimage ended up at a place of worship owned by the Catholic Church. This institution also made money by selling things such as holy water, certificates as proof of visit, and badges in order to increase revenue.  

 

• Dispensations: These were exemptions from obligations that were available for sale to whomever could afford them.

 

• Buying and selling church offices: Individuals could buy and sell offices of members of the clergy. 

 

Popes were living as secular rulers, mainly based on wealth. Therefore, many citizens had issues with the way the church was earning and spending money. The church offered the public three different ways to purchase salvation. These practices were highly criticized for how they turned religious practices into wealth, primarily benefiting the clergy.

 

The Church was considered the only intermediary between God and His people. Catholics were required to follow all church laws, receive all sacraments and read and understand the Bible. The Church seemed to be getting away from its traditional practices and this led to the Catholic community's want for simplification of the church organization and practices.

1450-1520, The Renaissance Popes were very concerned with personal advancement and personal wealth.

• Some had children even though they took vows of celibacy.
• The church waived its responsibility to the poor, schools, and arts during this time
• Religious life suffered and the Sacraments became meaningless

 

 

 

 

B. Important Protestant Reformation figures, and the spread of Protestantism across Europe

 Erasmus (1466-1536)

• One of the founders of the Reformation 
• Mentioned in the famous quote,"Erasmus laid the Egg that Luther hatched."
• Desiderius Erasmus published an annotated version of the New Testament in which he introduced a more pragmatic and rational conception of the religious doctrine.
• This effort irritated both the old and the new religious thinkers. The old order was upset with Erasmus's deviation from orthodox standards, while the new was upset that Erasmus did not continue with his preaching; they felt that he was cowardly in his attempt to change and improve Christianity.

 

 Martin Luther

• Luther was a lawyer, a professor, a monk, musician and a priest/pastor. He believed people could gain justification by grace alone and he was against the selling of indulgences.
• In 1517, he posted his 95 Theses, which many historians argue sparked the Protestant Reformation.  

 

 

Luther refused to recant his views and would have been arrested, but he was protected by Frederick of Saxony.

• A religious change movement grew, and Luther focused on improving “the Mass” by preaching in his native tongue (German, not Latin), reading from the Bible he had translated into German, and singing and using music in the worship.

 

Some of Luther's views included the following:

• Luther had a revelation to sinful life through St. Paul's verse "The just shall live by faith" (Romans 1:17). This meant that people went to Heaven through faith alone and not good works. Essentially, God's good grace is something that cannot be earned, which went against the Catholic Church policies to some degree.
• Luther believed the Bible was the only real source for instruction and guidance. Before, the Bible was mainly in Latin, and only the educated clergy were able to read. That is why the Catholic Church disapproved of Luther because his idea on instruction debased papal power.  

 

For more background, see Martin Luther: The Reluctant Revolutionary from PBS.

 

Rap video of the 95 Theses.

 

CrashCourse on Luther and the Protestant Reformation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1o8oIELbNxE

 

 

John Calvin 1509-1564

 

• Born in France, Calvin was also educated as a lawyer. In 1534, after proclaiming himself a Protestant, he fled to Basel, Switzerland.

 

• He wrote Institutes of the Christian Religion (1536) and preached in Geneva. His ideas influenced followers in France, England, Scotland, and the Netherlands.

 

• Calvinists developed political theories including the beliefs that all believers were considered priests, that only God could save souls by grace, there was an “ELECT” who would be saved, “Predestination,” and others, called the "reprobate" would be damned.
• Calvinists believed that one should look the part of being saved, thus no dancing, swearing, singing obscene songs, drinking, or playing cards. Calvin's style of church government became the modern Presbyterian faith.

 

• Video about the life and work of John Calvin. 

 

Marguerite de Navarre was the Princess of France and her cultural and intellectual successes made her an influential female figure during Europe's Renaissance age.  

• Some of her roles in religious reform in France were her support of vernacular translations of sacred texts, her protection of persecuted reformists, and her denunciation of ecclesiastical corruption. 

 

Katharina von Bora was the wife of Martin Luther and is known for setting the standard and example of Protestant family life.

 National Geographic article about Katharina von Bora https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2017/10/martin-luther-wife-protestant-reformation-500/

 

Catherine de Medici

 

 

 

• The Catholic monarchy, led by regent Catherine de Medici, attempted to keep a balance of power between both sides so that neither would become more powerful than her and her family.

 

• However, a poorly calculated move by de Medici sparked the Catholics to start the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre (1572), killing over twenty thousand Protestants.

 

• Click here for an eye-witness account of the massacre.

 

• Click here to learn more about Catherine de Medici, wife of Henry II. of France, one of history's most important female political figures. 

 

 

Henry VIII

• In England, the Reformation was an act of the State.
• Before his notorious divorce, Henry VIII had been a devout Catholic, even being given the name Defender of the Faith by the Pope in his youth.
• Church of England
• Henry VIII was impatient with waiting for an annulment from the Pope to divorce Catherine of Aragon because he wanted to marry Anne Boleyn.
• In 1534, after much battle with the Church of Rome, Henry VIII had the Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Cramner pass an act saying the Pope had no authority in England, and that the King was the official head of the church in England. 
• Henry expected English holdings like Ireland (who were very much Catholic and loyal to Rome) to break away from Rome and transfer their loyalties to him.  
• The Crown dissolved England's monastaries and took control of the Church's vast property holdings. 
• Thomas Cromwell and Thomas Cramner supported the translation of the Bible to English. 
• Click here for a video about Henry VIII's tumultuous relationship with the Church

 

Edward VI (1547-1553)

• After Henry's death his son  made a few changes which marked the start of the modern Anglican Church like allowing clergy to marry
• continued confiscation of church property like his father Henry VIII 
• simplified church services (Example- Elaborate Catholic Church settings like furniture and stain- glass was rid of)
• Thomas Cramner wrote the Common Book of Prayer in English 
• Catholics heavily punished 

Mary I of England

She succeeds Edward VI, changing England back to Catholic. Considering her upbringing and her fervent loyalty to Catholicism, she became notoriously known as Bloody Mary because she tried to reverse the Protestant Reformation in England. This title was given to her because of her aggressive persecution of Protestants that were burned at the stake. 

 

Here is a 14 minute YouTube clip about Mary's background, life, and her relations to the Protestant Reformation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3VHd2D-SLM

 

This website explains what Mary I did and how she earned the name Bloody Mary.

 

 

Elizabeth I (1558-1603)

 

Ascends after Mary, and changes England back to Protestant. However, she was a tolerant ruler, and believed that religion should not be punished. That is why she allowed her subjects to practice freely so long as it did not disturb society. For the most part, she faced backlash from Catholics that supported her cousin Mary Queen of Scotts. 

 

E-Book available on Google Scholar about Women and the Protestant Reformation 

 

 

 

This source discusses the Role of the printing press and includes images, a timeline, and a podcast

 

 

 

 

  

 

C. Important Protestant Reformation events and dates

 

Act of Supremacy, 1534

• This recognized Henry VIII as Supreme Head of the Church (Church of England). This act also required an oath of loyalty to recognize his marriage to Anne Boleyn. 

 

A link to the original text of the Act of Supremacy:  http://www.tudorplace.com.ar/Documents/the_act_of_supremacy.htm

 

Council of Trent, 1545

• The Church opened up this council during the Counter- Reformation to deal with Luther.
• Members of this council were high officials in the Church, and they met mainly in northern Italian town of Trent.
• Some of the outcomes of the Council of Trent:
• They reaffirmed the authority, scripture teachings, and traditions of the Catholic Church
• Denied Lutheran idea  of justification by faith

 

Link to original text of Council of Trent:  https://history.hanover.edu/texts/trent.html

 

Peace of Augsburg, 1555 

• Came into effect under Charles V Holy Roman Emperor 
• This was a legal basis by the Diet of the Holy Roman Empire for the coexistence of Lutheranism and Catholicism (only two churches that were recognized) in Germany. 
• State princes in Germany were allowed to choose either sect as their domain's religion, and had to allow emigration of residents that dissented.  

 

Edict of Nantes, 1598

• Gave French Huguenots rights in France, especially religious toleration 
• Came into effect under Henry IV of France 
• Revoked by Louis XIV in 1685 

 

The Thirty Years War, 1618- 1648

 

• First started out as a conflict between Catholics and Protestant factions within Holy Roman Empire, but then it became a European conflict.
• One of the main causes of this war was the fact that Emperor Ferdinand II forced citizens to adhere to Roman Catholicism despite the Peace of Augsburg. 
• This led to the Defenestration of Prague in 1618, in which a representative of Ferdinand II was thrown out a window in a Prague Castle by the Bohemian nobility and Czechs. 
• Bohemian Revolt
• began in 1618
• Bohemian alliances = Protestant Union states in Germany, Ottoman Empire
• Ferdinand II alliances = King Phillip IV of Spain, Catholic League
• Denmark Phase
• Denmark- Norway king Christian IV gave support to Protestants but were quickly crushed by Ferdinand II
• Swedish Phase
• started in 1630
• Gustavus Adolphus took the side of Northern Protestants
• Protestants gained major victories and land that were confiscated by the Catholics
• French Phase
• started in 1635
• Spain threatened Paris in 1636, but the French recovered
• in 1640, the Portuguese started to revolt against Spain, which weakened their military force. The Swedes re- entered the fray. 
• Battle of Prague 1648
• the Swedes capture Prague Castle from the Holy Roman Empire 

 

Peace of Westphalia, 1648 

• formally ended the Thirty Years War
• also brought an end to the Eight Years War between Spain and the Dutch, where the Netherlands gained independence from Spain
• France was acknowledged as a Western Power
• The power of the Holy Roman Emperor was undermined, which broke up the Holy Roman Empire and gave the German states the choice of religion 

 

A link to the contents of the Treaty of Westphalia: https://www.marxists.org/history/capitalism/un/treaty-westphalia.htm

As a result of the Protestant Reformation:

• Europe was divided by Catholics and Non-Catholics
• It stimulated reform inside the Catholic Church
• Established state churches, like in England
• Lutherans were mostly conservative
• Calvinists supported democracy, man's right to oppose tyranny
• Protestant Ethic is formulated with an emphasis on family, community participation, industriousness, thrifty living, and careful management of material things
• Promoted literacy, education, respect, and study of the classics
• It contributed to the growth of industry and commerce in the 1700s and 1800s

 

For more on the impacts of the Reformation, click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZZaLfA6xao

 

For some reading on the impacts of the Protestant reformation on women, click here (important note, this is a religious site, and there is some bias, as it is in their favor to make religion more appealing, however there is relevant and pertinent information, as well as interesting information on some specific women)

 

Click here for a timeline with even more events, that can maybe help provide a broader perspective of the impacts of the Reformation era

 

Religion and the Rise of Capitalism

 

Link here for the text of The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism, a classic view of capitalism's emergence from Protestant ethic by Max Weber.

 

Lecture: Weber on Protestantism and Capitalism, from Open Yale Courses

Sources
Author, reformation. Retrieved February 21, 2007, from reformation Web site:
Reformation. (1972). Reformation Vol. 4-7). USA: Field Enterprises Educational
Davidson, & Gienapp, James, & William (1999). Nation of nations. Boston, MA
Duiker/Spielvogel, David (2005). The essential world history. Belmont, CA:Duiker/Spielvogel, David (2005). The essential world history. Belmont, CA: