Chapter 13 Reformations and Religious Wars

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The Christian Church in the 1500's

In the 1500's, dissatisfaction led to the Protestant Reformation and the rise of Lutheranism. Europeans were deeply pious and respected the Catholic church, and people of all social groups devoted a large amount of time and income to religious causes.

Because of this, they were suspicious of the church; previous conflicts badly damaged papal prestige, and the renaissance popes mainly focused on the rich rather than the poor.

Some groups argued that church doctrines were incorrect, such as the reform efforts in Bohemia that led to the formation of a church independent of Rome. (This was a century before Luther.

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