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THE REFORMATION. Reformation Timeline. 1381 English peasants revolt: support Wycliffe 1415 Jan Hus burned at the stake 1517 Martin Luther writes his Ninety-Five Theses 1520 Pope Leo X excommunicates Luther 1529 England accepts Henry VIII’s reformation
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Reformation Timeline 1381 English peasants revolt: support Wycliffe 1415 Jan Hus burned at the stake 1517 Martin Luther writes his Ninety-Five Theses 1520 Pope Leo X excommunicates Luther 1529 England accepts Henry VIII’s reformation 1534 Henry VIII is head of Church of England 1536 Calvin leads Reformation in Geneva
Church in Crisis • Some church attempt to reform from within • Consiliar movement (take power from Pope and give it to a council) • defeated by Pope and special interest groups • failure to reform forces change to come from outside the church • church still has support of most leaders.
Society before Luther • Spirituality in Catholic Church • Catholic church preaches that only through the church can salvation be obtained • priests are necessary to read and interpret Bible • priests are necessary to perform mandatory practices that enable salvation • confession, baptism, communion.
Society before Luther • Spirituality outside Catholic Church • dissatisfaction with church leads to awakening of personal piety • focus on inner spirituality • God can be experienced directly • major threat to Church’s position • this makes all people equal in God’s eyes • women embrace this as it allows them to have much greater position than within Catholic church.
Society before Luther • Spirituality outside Catholic Church • rise of millenialism • seeing the increasing revolts and social disturbances many felt they were living in the “final days” • this is an accepted but ignored Church belief • entanglement with social message to poor • emergence of notion of Anti-Christ from final days.
Foundations for Luther • John Wycliffe (1320-1384) • English Theologian • main points • church does not control destiny of individuals • salvation only to faithful - it’s a free gift from God • rituals are not necessary • all are equal in God’s eyes, we are all God’s priests • translate Bible to vernancular • support of intellectuals and nobility • loses support during Peasant’s Revolt (1381).
Foundations for Luther • Jan Hus (c. 1369-1415) • attacks sacramental system • preaches for Bohemian independence from Holy Roman Empire • this angers both secular and spiritual! • Supporters break from Roman Catholic Church and form national Bohemian church • captured and burned at the stake.
Martin Luther(1483-1546) • Early life • sees self as reforming the Church • initial intent was to return Church to its roots • 1517 writes 95 Theses challenging the selling of indulgences • corrupt practice • theologically unsound since salvation cannot be gained by good works.
Ulrich Zwingli(1484-1531) • Well known in Switzerland - especially for attacks on sale of indulgences • makes Zurich first Protestant stateoutside of Germany • simple theory - if the Old or New Testament did not say something explicitly and literally, then no Christian should believe or practice it • Zwingli challenges all Church practices - fasting during Lent • disagreement with Luther on nature of Christ.
John Calvin(1509-1564) • Early history • lives in Geneva - head of new reformed Church • establishes church organization based on Bible • enforces strict moral code • establishes Geneva as centerof Protestant Europe • predestination.
Social Revolution? • Many printing presses make dissemination possible • new faith results in boldness • nuns • young men and women • Protestantism seen as personal salvation and way to renew corrupt society and government • Katharine von Bora - former nun, marries Luther.
Social Revolution? • 1550 majority in some German towns, Hungary, Bohemia, Sweden, parts of Switzerland and 1 million in France • religious and political movements of this time require support of princes • Luther gets support early • why?(beyond spiritual reasons) • Confiscate church lands • oppose Holy Roman Emperor • Germans can free themselves from Italian domination.
Social Revolution? • Luther only attacks church, not secular authority • 1524 Peasant revolt in Germany trying to decrease taxes, Luther sides with…. Nobles.
How Kings React • King Henry VIII • his six (!) wives • Pope delays annulment • divorced, beheaded, died/divorced, beheaded, survived • internal dissention eruptsover religion - Act ofSupremacy 1534.