The Reformation

Page 1

Wealth of the Church

the Catholic church had a great deal of wealth

in Germany the catholic church owned one third of the land

people where jealous, royalty wanted wealth for their own country

Page 2

The Influence Of the Renasissance

made people question everything(including religion)

people criticised the catholic church and said they where not following the teachings of the bible

Page 3

The Printing Press

the printing press reached every major town in Europe

Criticism of the catholic church could now spread easily

Page 4

The Power of the Kings and Princes

kings where uniting their countries under their own rule

they wanted to control the influence of the catholic church

they brought independent lords under control

Page 5

Abuses of the Catholic Church

Nepotism : giving church positions to family members

Simony : buying and selling if church positions (pope alexander VI)

Pluralism : cardinals and bishops having more than one diocese

Absenteeism : cardinals and bishops no being able to be present in both dioese

Bad Organisation : popes behaved badly, priests were uneducated(could not read bible)

Page 6

Martin Luther

born in Germany 1493

joined the Augustinian Order to become a monk

professor of theology at Wittenberg University

holy man worried about salvation

he studied the bible to find his answer "a just man shall live by faith alone "

he belived if he was faithful he would go to heaven

he protested the selling of indulgences and said only god can bring you to heaven

john Tetzel preached selling indulgences

Luther objected and wrote 95 theses and pinned them to the church wall at Wittenberg

Luther won support from his views, translated the Theses into German

he said priests where ignorant and not to pay taxes to rome

Page 7

Martin Luther

Luther was ordered to meet with Cardinal Cajetan , but refused

Luther had a public debate with John Eck, he questioned the authority of the pope

Eventually in 1502 the pope sent him a papal bull, he threated to excommunicate Luther

Luther continues to preach, he burned the letter in public

The pope excommunicated Luther!!

Luther was called before the Diet in worms he refused to withdraw his teachings

Charles V issued the edict of worms

Luther was hidden by Fredrick the wise in Wartburg castle

For that year he spent his time translating the new testament so ordinary Germans could read it

Luther's followers grew they became known as protestants

Catholic and Protestant separated

The emperor rejected the Confession of Augsburg(Luther's beliefs)

Protestant churches where built. Luther died before the war broke out

Page 8

Results of Luthers Reformation

Germany was divided( North- Protestant, South-Catholic)

use of vernacular language increased

Literacy and education spread- people could read the bible in their own language

Lutheranism is still popular today

Page 9

John Calvin

Early Life

Calvin was born in France. He grew up Catholic but was converted when he studied Luther's texts. He was forced to leave France for his beliefs, Calvin moved to Switzerland. There he wrote a book called The Institutes of the Christian Religion, which stated his beliefs. He was then invited to Geneva to French speaking area to build a church.

Calvin's Beliefs

1. Predestination: god had already selected who would go to heaven

2. The Bible: what the only source from Christ

3. Sacraments: there where only two, baptism and Eucharist

Page 10

John Calvin

Calvin's church in Geneva

1. he believed Geneva was the city of god

2.Rome was the city of the devil

3.He had no priest of bishops only Pastors, Teachers, Deacons and Elders

4.these where elected each year

Strict Rules

1.Drunkeness -if anyone was found drunk they would pay a fine Calvin closed all the taverns

2. Songs and Dance - singing would be punished by piercing the tongue or dancing would result in going to jail

3. Gambling- all cards and dice where banned

4. Dress-people had to dress plainly