Protestant Reformation

1
Protestant Reformation

• Reaction Against the Church

2
The Roman Catholic Church

• For many years the Roman Catholic Church
  controlled Western and parts of Eastern Europe
• People tired of the Churchs controlled for many
  reasons.
• Since the center of Church control was the
  Vatican in Rome, other areas wanted to break the
  binds of the Church.
• While the Church did keep Europe together, it did
  abuse its privileges in many areas

3
Church Abuses

• (a) Worldlinessthe luxurious and materialistic
  life of certain popes and high clergy.
• (b) Nepotism appointing relatives to Church
  offices regardless of ability.
• (c) Simony selling appointments to Church
  offices.
• (d) Sale of indulgences accepting money for
  Church pardons, called indulgences, without
  requiring true repentance.

4
Protestant Reformers

• Some people wanted to change the hold the Church
  had on society.
• One of the first leaders was Martin Luther .
• In his 95 Theses he demonstrated his objections
  to Church ideas of the time. (1517)
• Luther was a German monk that was excommunicated
  from the Church
• He gained great support from local German rulers.

5
Protestant Reformers

• John Calvin
• a French religious reformer, fled from Catholic
  France to safety in Geneva, Switzerland.
• Wrote his theories in the Institutes of the
  Christian Religion.
• He taught the doctrine of predestination, that
  only those elected beforehand by God would
  achieve salvation.
• He developed a strict lifestyle for his followers
• Those persons predestined for salvation, he held,
  could be identified by the virtue of their moral
  lives.

6
Protestant leaders

• Henry VIII
• As king of England he wanted to divorce his wife
  and marry Anne Boleyn
• The pope denied his divorce and Henry left the
  Church
• He started his own religion called the Anglican
  Church (Church of England)
• Henry said that the monarch of England was the
  leader of the Anglican Church

7
Church Reaction

• The Church answered the Protestant complaints
  with numerous actions
• This was called the Counter-Reformation

8
Church Actions

• Effective Leadership. A succession of capable,
  energetic popes provided strong leadership for
  Church reform and the highest religious standards
  required of clergy
• The Council of Trent (1545-1563). This Church
  council (meeting) that ended many Church abuses
• The Holy Inquisition. These Church courts
  vigorously combated heretics.
• The Society of Jesus. This religious order was
  founded in 1534 by Ignatius Loyola.
• Known as the Jesuits, the members became the
  leading spiritual soldiers fighting
  Protestantism.
• By serving as priests and teachers, they helped
  preserve Catholicism.