Reformation

media type="custom" key="3530108"media type="custom" key="3530116" =1986 "The Reformation was a rejection of the secular spirit of the Italian Renaissance." Defend or refute this statement using specific examples from sixteenth century Europe. = (**Refuting the statement**) The Reformation was based on the prime principles of the secular renaissance such as the questioning of the church and a worldly view. || **Worldly Views** || = = = = =media type="custom" key="3545342" = =media type="custom" key="3545358" = __Thesis:__ Martin Luther and John Calvin, though not alone, were primary leaders of the reformation. Each shared similar ideas concerning the Catholic Church, however polar ideas concerning secular authority and social workings of 16th century Europe. Although Calvin and Luther both believed in an after life controlled by God, Luther believed that salvation was brought about by faith alone, where as Calvin felt that one’s actions on earth had minute influence on God’s decision of one’s destination, if any at all. Concerning non-religious matters, Luther believed one should obey political authority and ignore the Catholic Church, while Calvin felt that religion should be involved in one’s everyday life.
 * **Questioning of the Church**
 * · Refuting of Church Policy || · Calvinism started the basic ideas of capitalism ||
 * · Questioning on the way salvation was achieved || · Calvinism stated salvation can be achieved on the basis of material wealth ||
 * · Luther replaced the 7 sacraments with only 2 || · Lutherans stressed the spread of education in worldly subjects ||
 * · Luther debated against Johann Eck on the church’s sales of indulgences || · “Cuius regio, Eius religio” stated that the price was to select the religion of their province ||
 * · Criticism of the churches actions from many new religious leaders such as Zwingli, Luther , and Calvin || · Zwingli refuted celibacy , saint worship , and purgatory witch were socially impacting at the time ||
 * · Rise of Protestant sects such as the Anabaptists, Antitrinitarians , Mennonites and Anglicans || · The rise of politiques such as Elizabeth of England , Henry of France and Catharine de Medici ||
 * · Henry the 8th ‘s ignoring of the popes jurisdiction even with the appointment as the “defender of the faith” || · Religion became subordinate to the state in the views of new monarchs ||
 * · Act of supremacy : the king is higher in rule than the pope || · “ Paris is well worth a mass” stated by Henry of France to show that religion is not important enough to lose ones rule ||
 * · Church soon restructured its doctrine to limit its questioning by many || · Lutherans and Catholics soon joined forces to take down the Hapsburgs ||
 * · 95 Thesis were posed at the church at Wittenberg || · Catholics tried to re-spread Catholicism through the means of baroque arts ||
 * · Counterreformation groups tried to re-spread the doctrine of Catholicism after the great questioning of the church ||  ||

__I. Martin Luther__ A: Luther urged his followers to follow a spirit derived from God, not the Catholic Church 1. He was disturbed by the “righteousness” that medieval theology taught was required for salvation -Disliked the phrase “righteousness of God” -Felt that the church demanded a perfection that was not obtainable from the masses -Concluded that salvation could be achieved by “faith alone” 2. Luther also frowned upon many common practices of the Church -Indulgences were regularly given in exchange for small amounts of cash -These indulgences were regarded as good works of almsgiving -The selling’s gained support from Albrecht, The Augsburg banking house of Fugger, Pope Leo X and John Tetzel -Outraged by these practices, Luther according to myth, nailed 95 theses against indulgences to the door of the castle Church in Whittenburg -Luther believed that the selling of these indulgences went far beyond tradition -These indulgences suggested that salvation could be bought and sold

B: Luther maintained close ties with the state, and his teachings further suggest that he strived for political order 1: Martin Luther maintained strong political interests -In order for his reforms to stick, Luther needed support from the Princes -He supported the Princes in gaining independence from the Church -He wrote the Address to the Christian Nobility of the German Nation and asked German Princes to force reform on the Church -Luther required the princes to oversee the churches and urged his reforms onto them -Without the Prince’s support, the ideas of the reformation could not progress -Believed man should be obedient to authority

C: Overall, Lutherans were quite passive when it came to reforms. -They cared entirely too much about what was “able” to be achieved - They were a bit too realistic -Claimed one should be happy with their place -Concerned more for themselves -Women were educated -The ill were tended for, along with children

__II. John Calvin__ A: Calvin believed in the absolute rule of God over all mankind 1. Calvin believed that God was involved in one’s life daily -Believed that one’s salvation is determined before birth by God -A person has no affect on their salvation, and cannot do anything to change their destiny -People’s lives were already planned out for them -People who were given salvation were called the ”Elects” -Calvin believed that man should be obedient to his God 2. A Social hierarchy was established in the Church - There were four levels created: Pastors, teachers, elders and deacons -These various positions maintained society and tended to matters other than religion 3. Due to the fact that Calvinism stemmed from Lutheranism, there were many commonalities between the two - God was the ultimate authority - Did reject church as being ultimate authority

B: Calvin’s position concerning government, differed greatly as compared to Luther’s -Calvin replaced the Catholic hierarchy with a democratic system -Individual congregation’s elected their minister’s and governed their policies 1. Calvin took an opposite stance concerning the churches relationship with the state -Believed that the Church should not be subordinate to the state -Argued that it should actually be a moral force in the affairs of secular government -Encouraged a theocracy, which would later be established in Geneva

C: Calvin wished to reform much of society - Wished to reform both society and the government -Wished to transform society morally -Concerned with reforming society as a whole -Wished to improve sewers, hospitals etc. -Placed just as much emphasis on tending to children and the ill as Luther did -Believed in universal education as well

-Anthony Bavaro = = = = = media type="custom" key="3528050"media type="custom" key="3528044" = =1988 Describe and analyze the ways in which the development of printing altered both the culture and the religion of Europe during the period 1450-1600. = The emergence of Gutenberg's revolutionary printing press in 1450 spurred a novel movement in culture tending towards increased thought, learning, and the expansion of education. Its greatest impact, however, was felt by the Roman Catholic Church, as it rapidly and bitterly lost its prestige. This shift in the Church's role in society led to one of most decisive, and never completely reconcilable, splits in religion to ever occur - the Protestant Reformation. __I. Emphasis and Expansion of Education__

1.Increased literacy and demand for books -Broadened content of books, available cheaper and to more people, on topics never explored before -“How-to” books intended for an amalgam of people: child-rearing books for mothers, how to cure farm animals for farmers, etc. -Libraries could store more information at a lower cost -Expansion of schools and universities, (ex: Gresham College in London) including __schools for girls__ -__Standardization__ of texts meant a superior basis for scholars, and progress in scholarship and science became more reliable (prevented further corruption of texts through hand copying) -People felt empowered! anyone who could read became an instant authority, probably felt less naive

2. Spread of Intellectual Movements -Diffusion of Renaissance culture to Germany, France, England, Spain, and other European countries (ex: works of Valla, Della Mirandola, etc. reached each other from different countries) -Humanists gained international audiences for their works -Decline in Latin, use of vernacular (especially by humanists), more people could understand -Brethren of Common Life emphasized education and simple piety (use as transition into next paragraph)

__II. Loss of prestige of the Roman Catholic Church__

1. Questioning the Church -Dissemination of Bibles in the vernacular meant they became available to the public (Luther translated New Testament in 1524) -Scholars gained access to dependable, standardized Bible that could be discussed and debated like never before -Laity could read the Bible for themselves and see what was the word of the Bible and what was not --> less credulous -People encouraged to read Scripture and analyze it more thoroughly -Luther proved to a mass audience there was __no biblical basis__ for indulgences (transition)

__III. Protestant Reformation__

1. Beginning of drifts from Roman Catholic Church -A new informed and intelligent townspeople condemned irregularity and poor quality of sermons -__Preacherships__ established in many towns, men with superior education delivered 100 sermons a year -Middle class began to embrace Protestantism because the clergy was often uneducated

2. One of the keys to Martin Luther’s success = printing press -Luther was able to speak up for the common people against abuses of the church (clergy could not as easily get away with nepotism, absenteeism, and other abuses) -Martin Luther posted his “Nintey-five Theses on the Power of Indulgences” in 1517 criticizing practices of R.C. church, by December of that year it was translated into German and spread throughout Europe -Church unable to suppress dissenters as before (ideas cannot be controlled!!!)

Katelyn Fletcher

=2005 Compare and contrast the motives and actions of Martin Luther in the German states and King Henry VIII in England in bringing about religious change during the Reformation. = media type="custom" key="3545406"

The age of reformation was that of unprecedented questioning of the correctness of religious guidance. Martin Luther began this age by searching the Holly bible and his conscience for biblical reinforcement for the teachings and practices of the Catholic Church, which led him to just the opposite. The ideas of Luther and the model of questioning the catholic church, was able to spread through out the world due to the beginning role of secular government trying to override the power of the church. This capping of the church’s authority was most exercised in England during this time, but was fueled by Hery VIII’s selfish desires rather than the pursuit of religious truth.

__The actions and strict beliefs of the Catholic Church contradicted scripture and martin Luther’s sense of morally and spirituall right.__The church’s use of fake -holly relics and indulgences turned the church into a money making scam. -There was no biblical evidence of purgatory in the scripture and the realization was made that in order for indulgences to be successful, the church needed to invent purgatory. -Martin Luther believed in justification of faith alone, that by simply believing in Jesus Christ one would ascend to heaven. -There was only biblical evidence of 2 of the 7 sacraments those being baptism and Eucharist

__The vast resistive power of the church to secular authority was greatly unpopular by national and local governments, and in turn led to secular action to diminish this power.__

-Previous to Charles V rise to power, the catholic laws were predominant over the lands of the Holly Roman Empire, yet Charles V allowed individual principalities to enforce their own religious beliefs. At this time there was conflict between Spain, the Turks, Italy and France. German troops supplied by the princes of the H.R.E. were necessary to win the war, so thus keeping the princes happy via religious freedom kept the flow of troops going. This resulted in the reduction of church influence over the people who Luther’s views appealed too. -English resentment to catholic law in the form of taxation was resisted from the time of Edward I. The Papacy did not want secular taxation of English clergy, yet Edward did just that. -After the establishment of Henry VIII as "head of the English Church" the reformation parliament placed many restrictions on the clergy and the church. The monarch and parliament received control of the church, the clergy was forced to recognize henry’s superior role in the church, and many parliamentary decrees such as "the submission f the clergy" strengthened secular control over the church.

__The English reformation spawned from Henry VIII’s personal vendetta with the catholc church as well as his desire to receive a male heir.__ -The pope would not grant henry a divorce from Catherine of Aragon. -Catherine produced 6 children, yet 5 died and the one who lived was Mary Tudor, who due to the fact she was a female was not suitable for the throne of England. -In order to manipulate church doctrine he placed him self as the head of the Church of England and began to control the operations of the church to meet his needs. AbErZz

media type="custom" key="3529316"media type="custom" key="3529320"media type="custom" key="3529326" = = =2006 How and to what extent did the methods and ideals of Renaissance humanism contribute to the Protestant Reformation? = In many aspects, the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century in Europe was the evolutionary spawn of the Renaissance humanistic way of thought of preceding centuries. In other words, it owes a lot of its development, though not all, to the previously established ideas and methods of humanists. With the influence of humanist ideas and some development of its own, the Protestant Reformation was able to take place and forever change the spiritual world of Europe. **Humanism**: -Appreciation of classical Greek and Latin culture and ideas. -Study it for its own sake and in the hope of the rebirth of classical values. -Appreciation of the individual and the dignity of humankind. -Value of primary sources and formation of thoughts and ideas based on them rather that previously established norms – not bound to tradition. -Criticism of tradition. -Recovery of ancient manuscripts, becomes available to scholars. -Respect of classical and biblical sources, not that of medieval philosophers and theologians. -Invention of printing press (Johann Gutenberg) – first prints bible- increase in literacy and new availability of literature to the public. People start to form their own ideas. -Documents written in vernacular (Niccolo Machiavelli). -More acceptance of more secular values and ways of living. -Reforms in education: belief in its spread of availability and disapproval of scholastic way of teaching.

-Criticism of tradition: of church procedure and values. (dogma and corruption) -Printing press facilitates spread of Protestant ideas: //Babylonian Captivity of the Church, Freedom of a Christian// (Martin Luther), //Institutes of the Christian Religion// (John Calvin). Gives people more access to bible than ever before. -New availability of libraries and books increases literacy rate and makes people more prone to question established religious norms (form own ideas). - Translations of Bible into vernacular so it is more available to the observance and judgment of the public -Value of first hand documents: Word of scripture over that of laity and pope. -Swiss reformer, Ulrich Zwingli, strongly influenced by ideas of humanist thinker, Erasmus. -Like Erasmus, Lutherans, Calvinists, those of Swiss Reformation, and practically all segments of reformers oppose dogma of church and question what is neccessary. - More acceptance of more secular values and ways of living: Luther’s concept of “justification by faith alone,” people don’t have to devote their entire lives to religion in order to be saved. - Reforms in education: Belief in its spread and opposition to scholastic ways of teaching.
 * How It Influenced The Reformation**:

-Reformers more often put humans in negative light rather than positive (More prone to committing sin than to committing good). -Common Humanist belief that mankind is the highest entity, while Protestatnts believe that God is the highest entity. -Not much Protestant interest in secular documents. -Protestant life more focused on preparing for the next life, Humanism more focused on the here and now. -More emotional and extreme than Humanism.
 * How It Didn’t Influence The Reformation**: