Late Medieval Context and the Lutheran Reformation

1. Late Medieval Context and the Lutheran Reformation 1500-1521

2. Two Pillars of the Late Medieval Church • Papal Primacy • Gregory VIII (1073-1085) is the beginning of Papal Revolution. • Innocent III and Boniface VIII represent the height of Papal power. • Pope Pius II’s bull against Councils in 1460 is the pinnacle of that power. • Mass, Puragtory and Penance • The Mass is necessary for the forgiveness of sins and penance necessary before Mass. • Church buildings were adapted for a large number of altars (“chantry” from “cantaria”). • Belief in purgatory produced an industry of indulgences, masses, and prayers for the dead.

3. Sancto Spirito in Florence, Italy

4. Late Medieval Theology • The Sacramental System • Grace, Merit and Works • Via Antiqua (Thomas Aquinas) • Via Moderna (William Occam) • Augustinian (Gregory d’Rimini) • Practical Consequences: • Dependence on the institutional church • Anxiety and uncertainty • Negligence • Or, zealous activity

7. Late Medieval Piety • “The Devotio Moderna” • Geerte Groote (1340-84), educated at Paris, entered monastery in 1374 but leaves in 1380 disillusioned. Stresses the imitation of Christ, faith and morality. Translated Scriptures. • “The Brethren of the Common Life” • Began as 12 disciples of Groote • Established various “houses” of influence (primarily in Netherlands and Germany). • Purity of life, study of Scripture, spiritual disciplines, shared resources, care for the poor, education for youth • Thomas a Kempis, The Imitation of Christ • Many Reformers were educated at Brethren schools: Erasmus, Bucer, and Calvin.

8. The Late Medieval Church • Institutional Abuses • Episcopal (Bishop) abuses • Absenteeism • Simony • Pluralism • Priestly abuses • Greed • Immorality • Ignorance • Papal Realities: • Claims vs. the Counciliar Movement • Political Interests • Rebuilding Rome’s Glory

9. Three Renaissance Popes • Sixtus IV (1471-84) – scholar, former head of the Franciscan order, he raised funds through heavy taxation and simony to finance the building of the Sistine Chapel. • The Sistine Chapel takes its name from Sixtus IV.

10. Three Renaissance Popes • Julius II (1503-1513) – also known as the “Warrior Pope,” was the patron of Michelangelo and financed the rebuilding of St. Peter’s Basilica. • Nephew of Sixtus IV

11. Three “Renaissance” Popes Leo X (1513-1521) – son of the banker Lorenzo de Medici of Florence, he had little interest in papal responsibilities and indulged his artistic loves as he invited Italy’s greatest artists to Rome.

12. St. Peter’s Basilica

14. Sistine Chapel • Built between 1475-1483 by Sixtus IV, it was used as the Papal chapel and the place for the election of new Popes. • Some of the wall paintings were done by Botticelli. • The ceiling was originally a star-studded sky.

16. Sistine Chapel Ceiling • Pope Julius II asked for a few vines on a blue background on the 10,000 square feet. • Over 340 human figures represented the origin and fall of humanity in Michaelangelo’s painting. • It took a little less than four years (1508-1512) without assistance under adverse conditions by Michaelangelo.

22. Political Context • The Rise of Nationalism • Monarchs seek to centralize power • Spain • United the peninsula in 1492 • Established the Spanish Inquisition in 1480 • Expelled Jews in 1492 (165,000 Jews left) • Expelled Muslims in 1502 • King Ferdinand of Aragon and Queen Isabella of Castile (married 1469) • Married daughter Joanna to Emperor Maximilian’s son Philip. • Charles I of Spain was their son (King in 1516) • Married daughter Catherine to Henry VII of England’s son Arthur (later married to Henry VIII).

23. Political Context • France • Francis I reigned from 1515-1547 • Centralized authority in France • France and Spain fought four wars in first half of the 16th century • England • Henry VII (1485-1509) began the Tudor dynasty. • Treaty with French in 1501. • Married sons to Catherine of Aragon • Married daughter Margaret to James IV of Scotland. • Henry VIII (1509-1547)

24. Holy Roman Empire • Seven Individuals elected the Emperor (majority vote): • 3 Archbishops (Trier, Mainz and Cologne) • 4 Rulers (Duke of Saxony, Margrave of Brandenburg, Count Palatine of the Rhine, and King of Bohemia) • Ruled Germany, Austria and scattered parts of Eastern Europe—the family Hapsburg had ruled as Emperor since 1273. • Emperor headed the Imperial Diet: • House of electors, house of princes, and house of free cities. • The Empire was composed of almost 300 separate political units.

25. Maximilian I (1459-1519) • Married to Mary of Burgundy, daughter of Charles the Bold. • Elected Holy Roman Emperor in 1493. • Philip, the son of Maximilian and Mary, was married to Joanna, the daughter of Ferdinand and Isabella, King and Queen of Spain.

26. Holy Roman Empire in 1512

27. Hapsburg Family • Maximilian’s granddaughter Mary married Louis of Hungary-Bohemia and Louis’ sister (Anne) married Maximilian’s grandson Ferdinand. Mary and Ferdinand were children of Philip (Maximilan’s son) and Joanna of Castile. • The marriages arranged there brought Habsburg kingship over Hungary and Bohemia in 1526. Both Anne and Louis were adopted by Maximilian. • The Hapsburgs, then, by 1525 ruled the European world except Britain, France, parts of Italy and Poland.

28. Hapsburg Dynasty • Charles I, the grandson of Maximilian and King of Spain, was elected the Holy Roman Emperor as Charles V (1519-1556). • The extent of his reign is reflected in his terse statement about his language range: “I speak Spanish to God, Italian to women, French to men, and German to my horse.”

30. Hapsburg Empire • Charles’ brother, Ferdinand, reigned over the German regions of the Empire (as well as King of Hungary and Bohemia). Ultimately, Ferdinand would become Holy Roman Emperor in 1556 and Charles’ son Philip would become King of Spain and ruler of the low countries (Belgium, Netherlands) • Ferdinand continued the Hapsburg dynasty in Germany as well as Bohemia and Hungary along with parts of Italy.

31. Political Realities in Germany • No centralized government; thus, territorial autonomy the norm. • Emperor is elected and dependent upon the respective parts of the empire. • Germany undergoing economic growth (Fugger banking) • No unity: • 25 secular principalities • 90 ecclesiastical principalities • Castles of Independent Knights • Free Cities • Over 100 Counts

32. Holy Roman Empire in 1512

33. Italy and Eastern Europe • Italy: • Divided into five states • Duchy of Milan, Republic of Florence (Tuscany), Republic of Venice, Kingdom of Naples, and Papal States. • Italy was often subjugated by external powers as France and Spain fought over claims to title on the peninsula. • Eastern Europe • Contstantinople had fallen in 1453. • By 1500, Turks threatened Hungary, Bohemia and Austria. Turks already occupied Serbia and Bulgaria.

34. European Hostilities • Spanish-French Wars (Hapsburg-Valois Wars) • France continually invaded Italy to reclaim lands and assert rights in Naples from 1494 forward. • Spanish and Hapsburg rulers sided with the Italian states. • Charles V and Francois I of France fought four major wars from 1521-1544 with Charles always on the winning side. • The Turkish Problem. • The Ottoman Turks defeated Louis of Bohemia and Hungary at the Battle of Mohacs in 1526 in which Louis died and Ferdinand (Charles’ brother) becomes King of Bohemia and Hungary. • The Turks besieged Vienna for 14 days in 1529 but retreated. • The Papal Problem • The Pope often joined with the French king because he was fearful of Charles’ power. • In 1527 Charles sacked Rome and by 1530 he controlled Italy.

36. Economic Context • The Black Plague (1350s) • Reduced population by 1/4 to 1/3. • Introduction of monetary-based economics • Rise in taxation, including Papal • Significant Change in 1500s • Increased population (60-85 million) • Increased prices (greater demand) • Increased trade (colonies) • Consequently, an age favorable to bankers • Medici’s of Florence • Fuggers of Augsburg, Germany

37. “The Fuggerei” built by Jacob Fugger in Augsburg was the world’s first low-cost housing development. It is still in use today

38. Intellectual Context: Humanism • Renaissance Humanism (Italy, 1350-1550) • Renewal of classical art, architecture and ideas • Scholastic Humanism (Europe, 1450-1650) • Publication and study of ancient literature • “Ad Fontes” (to the sources) • Earliest surviving printed Scripture is 1457 (Psalms). • Reforming Humanism (Northern Europe, 1450-1550). • Reforming the Catholic institutions and power • Reforming morals • Many of the Reformers began as humanists (Zwingli, Calvin, Melanchton).

39. Erasmus (1466-1536) “Prince of the Humanists” • Son of a Rotterdam priest, ordained 1492. • Educated by Brethren of Common Life • Studied at University of Paris as well as time in England and Italy. • Lived most of his life in Basel, Switzerland • Important Work • Handbook of the Christian Knight (1503) • Praise of Folly • Editions of the Patristic writings • Editions of the Greek NT (1516, 1519, 1522, 1527).

40. Martin Luther (1483-1546) • Complex Person: sought spiritual satisfaction, opposed church abuses, and never intended a church split. • Brilliant, gifted in language, passionate about his faith, but also anti-Jewish, rude/vulgar in language, and given to exaggeration.

41. Anti-clerical feelings in Germany • Resentment of German money going to Rome – papal taxes • Clergy not paying taxes • Perceived failure of clergy during Black Death • Resentment over large amount of land in Germany held by the church

42. Young Luther • Born in Eisleben, received M.A. at Erfurt in 1505. • Intended to study law, but due to religious experience he entered an Augustinian monastery in 1505. • Ordained a priest in 1507 and singled out by his mentor Staupitz to study theology for university teaching--received a Doctor of Theology in 1512. • Became the district supervisor of eleven monasteries, but ultimately began permanent teaching at the University of Wittenberg in 1512. • A new university begun in 1502 by Elector Frederick the Wise of Saxony

43. Trip to Rome 1510 • Sent to Rome to represent monastery • Monks hoped holy city would encourage • Repulsed by sale of relics, immorality • Climbed stairs at St. John – did nothing • Returned incensed by church corruption The Sacred Stairs at St. John Lateran

44. The Sancta Scala Constantine installed the stairs his mother brought back from Jerusalem at St. John Lateran. Supposedly the stairs at Pilate’s judgment hall in Jerusalem which Christ descended when beaten by the solders and ascended to return to Pilate for judgment Pilgrims say Hail Mary’s and Our Father’s going up the stairs on their knees.

45. Professor • As a monk and even more so as a Professor, he began to question the penitential system of the Catholic Church. • 1513-1518 he lectured on biblical books at the University (Psalms, Romans, Galatians, Hebrews) and began to teach from the Greek text rather than the Latin. • His “conversion”: the meaning of the “righteousness of God” in Romans 1:16-17.

46. Indulgences • Pope Julius II announced a general indulgence to pay for the construction of St. Peter’ Basilica in 1510. • Pope Leo X extended the indulgences and appointed Luther’s Archbishop (Albert of Brandenburg) the high commissioner. • Albert was Luther’s Archbishop. John Tetzel was appointed a sub commissioner of indulgence sales.

47. The Indulgence Scandal • Albrecht von Hohenzollern sought the office of electoral Archbishop of Mainz from Pope • Paid a high amount to secure it • Loan financed by Fugger Bank • Repaid through sale of indulgences • John Tetzel (Dominican) put in charge

48. Reformer • 95 Theses in Latin: October 31, 1517 on the door of the Castle Church of Wittenberg. • He originally set forth several theses for academic debate at the University, but when they aroused little interest he directed these 95 theses at the sale of indulgences and the nature of repentance. • The door was the bulletin board of the University in Latin, but translated copies were published throughout Germany and Switzerland within months.

49. 95 Theses • 1. Our Lord and Master Jesus Christ, when He said Poenitentiam agite, willed that the whole life of believers should be repentance. • 5. The pope does not intend to remit, and cannot remit any penalties other than those which he has imposed either by his own authority or by that of the Canons. • 21. Therefore those preachers of indulgences are in error, who say that by the pope's indulgences a man is freed from every penalty, and saved;

50. 95 Theses • 27. They preach man who say that so soon as the penny jingles into the money-box, the soul flies out [of purgatory]. • 28. It is certain that when the penny jingles into the money-box, gain and avarice can be increased, but the result of the intercession of the Church is in the power of God alone. • 36. Every truly repentant Christian has a right to full remission of penalty and guilt, even without letters of pardon.