Reformation

Reformation

1. Change in the interpretation of religious studies in life

2. enourmous influence of church

   • social
   • political
   • economical
   • cultural

3. new ways of thinking --> Humanism

4. conflict between church and political power

   • Protestants

5. Long-term causes of the reformation

   • decline in influence of church
     • black death
       • credibility of church damaged because they could´t explain disease
       • many priests killed
     • rise of powerful kings
       • King Philip IV
   • new ways of thinking
     • great voyages of discovery
     • crusades
     • renaissance
   • earlier opposition to church
     • worshippers of money rather than of god
       • unlimited sale of relics
       • John Wycliffe (1320-1384)
         • Pope was not Christ´s representative
         • Lollards
           • English Kings tried to stop him
             • Death of Wycliffe
               • John Huss spreads Wycliffe´s writing
                 • after Huss´death -> Hussite Wars

6. Short-time causes of the reformation

   • Martin Luther (1483-1546)
     • first reformer to lead many people to openly break with church
     • monk
     • questioned sale of indulgences in 1517
     • pinned his 95 theses on church door
       • communicated and punished as a heretic
     • many followers and helpers in Germany
       • Frederick III, of Saxony