Reformation and the Church

Reformation and the Church

1. Background and Context

   • Europe faced great uncertainty under the medieval economies, poverty levels and insecurity caused people to be attracted by the ideals of the Renaissance.
     • These ideals were spread by the printing press.
     • Humanist ideals motivated the questioning of the Church.
   • The abuses of the Church
     • See: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Roman-Catholicism/The-age-of-Reformation-and-Counter-Reformation#toc43744
     • The Roman Catholic Church was the most powerful institution in Europe throughout the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Because of this, corruption, greed, and the thirst of power took over many aspects of the Church.
       • Popes would live lives filled with luxury, increasing fees for services and selling indulgences
         • Indulgences are reductions of punishments given for the sins of an individual.
           • See: https://www.britannica.com/topic/indulgence

2. Martin Luther

   • See: https://www.biography.com/people/martin-luther-9389283
   • Born in 1483, Martin Luther was a German monk who would provoke one of the biggest revolts against the Catholic Church
   • Fed up with the Church's corruption, Martin Luther published 95 theses questioning and contesting the Roman Catholic Church
     • The Church's response was to call Luther to give up his views, Luther refused to do so in multiple occasions.
       • Luther retreated and founded Lutheranism seeking to reform religion and spirituality in Europe.
     • The 95 Theses can be found in the following link: http://www.luther.de/en/95thesen.html

3. English Reformation

4. Catholic Reformation

   • Given the social unrest, the church sought to reform its structures and end with corruption under Pope Paul III
     • This is known as the Counter-Reformation

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