European Renaissance and Reformation

World History

Causes of Reformation

• Social

– The Renaissance values of humanism and secularism led people to question the Church

– The printing press helped to spread ideas critical of the Church

Causes of Reformation

• Political

– Powerful monarchs challenged the Church as the supreme power in Europe

– Many leaders viewed the pope as a foreign ruler and challenged his authority

Causes of Reformation

• Economic

– European princes and kings were jealous of the Church’s wealth

– Merchants and others resenting have to pay taxes to the Church

Causes of Reformation

• Religious

– Some Church leaders had become worldly and corrupt

– Many people found the Church practices such as sale of indulgences unacceptable

Indulgences• Pardon (forgiveness) releasing a person from

punishment due for a sin

• Seen by some as buying your way into heaven

Excommunication

• The taking away of a person’s right of membership in a Christian church

• Declaring someone an outcast from the Church

Luther Leads the Reformation

Martin Luther Challenges the Church

Luther’s Problems with the Church

• Upset about the selling of indulgences

• Writes the 95 Theses against the Church and posts them on his church’s doors

European Leaders’ Response to Luther

Pope Leo X – Leader of the Catholic Church

• Issued a decree threatening Luther with excommunication unless he took back his statements

• Luther refused and was excommunicated

European Leaders’ Response to Luther

Holy Roman Emperor Charles V

• Opposed Luther’s teachings

• Declared Luther an outlaw and heretic, no one was allowed to give him food or shelter, and burned all of his books

European Leaders’ Response to Luther

German Princes

Northern

• Supported Lutheranism

Southern

• Remained loyal to the Pope and joined forces against Luther’s ideas

Religion in Europe

England Becomes ProtestantHenry VIII’s Problems

with the Church

• Henry wanted a divorce, but the Church would not allow it, so he asked the Pope to annul his marriage, but was denied

• Henry ended the Pope’s power in England

The Six Wives of Henry VIII

Catherine of Aragon:

DIVORCED

Anne Boleyn:BEHEADED

Jane Seymour:

DIED

Anne of Cleaves:

DIVORCED

CatherineHoward:

BEHEADED

CatherinePARR:

SURVIVED

England Becomes ProtestantElizabeth I’s Reforms

• Established the Church of England (Anglican Church), the only legal church in England, and was the head of the church

• Tried to please both Catholics and Protestants

The Reformation Continues

Protestant Reformers After Luther

Huldrych Zwingli

• Wanted to return to the more personal faith of early Christianity

• Thought believers should have more control over the Church

Protestant Reformers After Luther

John Calvin

• Believed in predestination, that salvation is already determined by God

• Supported theocracy, a government controlled by religious leaders

Protestant Reformers After Luther

Anabaptists

• Baptized only those old enough to decide to be Christian

• Supported separation of church and government

The Catholic Reformation

Ignatius Loyola and the Jesuits

• Jesuits founded schools throughout Europe focused on classical studies and theology

• Converted non-Christians to Catholicism by sending out missionaries worldwide

• Wanted to stop the spread of Protestantism

The Catholic ReformationPope Paul III

• Directed a council of cardinals to investigate indulgence selling and other abuses in the Church

• Approved the Jesuit order

• Used the Inquisition to seek out heresy in papal territory

• Called for the Council of Trent to solidify Church doctrines