MARTIN LUTHER AND THE GERMAN REFORMATIONNot this Martin

2.2

So here’s what’s happening• The Church needs money

to build pretty buildings, so Pope Leo X tells Johann Tetzel to sell more indulgences

• Tetzel: “as soon as a coin in the coffer rings, the soul from purgatory springs”

Enter Martin Luther• Monk & teacher• Taught scripture at the University of Wittenberg, in the German state of Saxony.

• Wanted to be a good teacher, not lead a religious revolution.

Luther’s Response – 95 Theses

• October 31, 1517 – Luther posted the 95 Theses on the door of the castle church and welcomed debate.

• Someone copied the Theses and spread Luther’s word all over Germany.• Led to the beginning of the Reformation (movement for religious reform)

The Fallout• Pope underestimated the

impact the 95 Theses would make…will eventually ask Luther to stop speaking

• Luther refuses to stop speaking…protected by Elector Frederick the Wise

• GOAL – Luther wanted to reform the Church, not create a new church

Luther’s Key Ideas• Four main ideas:

• Salvation could be achieved only by faith alone

• All Church teachings should be based on the words of the Bible.

• All people with faith were equal a “priesthood of all believers”

• Encouraged the German princes to reform the Church in their state

• Luther was excommunicated by Pope Leo X in 1520

Diet of Worms – 1521

Response to Luther• Prince Frederick the Wise of Saxony sheltered Luther for a year• While there, Luther translated the Bible into German

• When Luther returned to Wittenberg, found that people still practiced his ideas, and formed a new religious group – Lutherans.

Confessions of Augsburg• Written by Luther’s friend

Philip Melanchthon in 1530

• An attempted compromise statement to unite the Lutheran and Catholic princes of the Holy Roman Empire

• REMEMBER: Luther didn’t want a totally new church BUT things were out of control by 1530

POLITICAL BATTLE OVER LUTHERANISM

The Quest of Charles V• The Holy Roman Emperor was looking to keep Europe

completely Catholic…allied with the Pope

• He also had to deal with the Muslim threat…did not focus solely on the Protestant problem

Peasants War of 1524-1525

Luther vs. Peasants• Luther believed that people should obey their political

authorities

• Disgusted with the overall violent tones of the revolt and encouraged the princes to suppress the war• 100K peasants die

• Hidden motive?

• Consequences

League of Schmalkalden (1531)• Formed by the Lutheran

princes to defend themselves against Charles V’s drive to bring Catholicism back

• Francis I of France allied with the League

Peace of Augsburg, 1555• Provisions

• Princes in Germany could choose either Lutheran or Catholicism – “cuius regio, eius reliigo”

• Lutherans keep all lands seized prior to 1552

• Resulted in the permanent religious division of Germany• A political disaster for Germany and success for France