Daniel Bragagnini

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The Reformation

• By
• Daniel Bragagnini
• Devon Crane

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Dictionary Definition

• Reformation
• 1. An improvement or alteration for the better
• 2. A 16th-century movement in Western Europe
  that aimed at reforming some doctrines and
  practices of the Roman Catholic Church and
  resulted in the establishment of the Protestant
  churches.

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Church Definition

• Reformation
• 1. The usual term for the religious movement
  which made its appearance in Western Europe in
  the sixteenth century, and which, while
  ostensibly aiming at an internal renewal of the
  Church, really led to a great revolt against it,
  and an abandonment of the principal Christian
  beliefs.

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Intro. - What is the Reformation?

• The Reformation followed the Renaissance era
• It was a religious movement of the 16th century
  in Western Europe
• The Reformation was also a rebellion against the
  unjust ways of the Church at the time
• Many began to fight the power of the Church
• It led to new branches of Christianity

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Causes

• Materializing of the Church
• The chief objective of the Church (leading man to
  eternal salvation) was ignored
• During the Renaissance, the Church became very
  interested in political power
• In addition, the Church was very focused on
  wealth and money
• Some of the clergy became wealthy elite

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Causes cont.

• Clerical abuses
• In search for power, the church grew in simony
  and nepotism
• In many cases celibacy was not always practiced
• Indulgences were the sale of the forgiveness of
  sins
• Those who could not pay (the poor) could not be
  forgiven
• The sale of indulgences made many feel the need
  to reform

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Causes cont.

• Deterioration of the Papacy
• The Great Schism of 1309-1377 weakened the papacy
• The Popes removal from Rome to Avignon was a
  serious error
• The universal character of the papacy was
  undermined
• In the Renaissance, the Church was more focused
  on the financial needs of the clergy, not the
  spiritual needs of the people

Avignon
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Causes cont.

• This caused people to loose faith in the clergy
• Once faith was lost in the clergy, faith was lost
  in the papacy
• In the fourteenth century, a tax was imposed on
  some of the clergy
• This caused the clergy to complain to Rome, and
  the papacy lost the respect of many

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Ideas of the Reformers

• The most notable reformers included Martin
  Luther, Ulrich Zwingli, and John Calvin
• Luther began the Reformation on October 31, 1517
  in Germany
• Outraged with the sale of indulgences, he posted
  95 theses against them on a door of a Catholic
  German church.

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Ideas cont.

• The Church prosecuted Luther as a heretic and had
  him excommunicated in 1521
• Many began to follow Luther, including princes
  who changed the religion of their kingdoms from
  Catholicism to Lutheranism
• Martin Luther believed that Gods forgiveness was
  something that the people did not have to pay for
• Priest Ulrich Zwingli, another important
  reformer, led the Reformation in Switzerland
• Ulrich wanted 3 things abolition of Sunday Mass,
  a reform of the city-state, and independence from
  the papacy

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Ideas cont.

• Lutheranism quickly spread to France and gained
  converts, including John Calvin
• John Calvin went to Geneva in 1536, where he
  opened a new ecclesiastical organization with
  alike Lutheran views
• However, Calvinism was introduced with violence
• Catholic priests were banished from Geneva and
  the people were oppressed and compelled to attend
  Calvinist sermons

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Spread of the Reformation

• The Reformation mainly spread because of charisma
  of the reformers and their ability to attract
  audiences
• In 1450, Johann Gutenberg invented printing
• This invention was used by the reformers to
  spread the word quickly across Europe
• As a result, their ideas reached and influenced
  many people in a short time

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Results and Consequences

• Christian Europe was divided into Protestant and
  Catholic areas
• Many national churches were developed
• In addition, many European countries grew in
  nationalism
• The Reformation gave birth to the
  Counter-Reformation
• This would be the era where the Church wanted to
  regain its lost followers by enhancing
  architecture and spending its wealth on the people

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QUESTION TIME!!!

• (Answer correctly for candy!)
• In your own words, what was the reformation?
• What were the three causes of the reformation?
• What were indulgences?
• Who were the three most known reformers?
• Give one of the three things Ulrich Zwingli was
  reforming for.
• How was Calvinism introduced in Geneva?
• What time period would follow the Reformation?

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Bibliography

• http//www.newadvent.org/cathen/12700b.htm
• http//mb-soft.com/believe/txn/reformat.htm
• Online Etymology Dictionary
• The American Heritage Dictionary
• Classroom Textbook History of the Church