History 102: Western Civilization II
Peter Catapano

The Protestant Reformation

Thesis:  The protest movement that began with Martin Luther led to the breakdown of the Catholic Church's monopoly over culture and religion.  New Christian sects emerged throughout Europe and the Catholic Church transformed itself in response.  Secular rulers took advantage of religious conflict to expand their own power.

Quentin Massys, Portrait of Erasmus of Rotterdam (1517)
 I. Challenges within the Church before 1500
A. Crises in the Church
  • Great Schism
  • Taxes to rebuild Rome
  • Offices of church bought and sold
  • Abuse of the sacrament of penance
B. Popular Piety and Christian Humanism (Hunt, pp. 476-78)
  • Desiderius Erasmus's “philosophy of Christ”
  • Wrote much, read by many (helped by printing press)
    • The Praise of Folly (1509)
  • Thomas More, Utopia (1516)
  • Both were critic of abuses of contemporary religion
II. The Protestant Movement

A. Martin Luther and the German Nation (Hunt, pp. 478-81)
  • All people sinful and could not avoid sin
  • Romans 1:17,  “justification by faith alone” (Luther excerpt)
  • No good works, only God’s grace
  • Luther believed that in matters of salvation “man has no free will”
  • Priest became a pastor, spiritual guide to personal salvation
B. Luther confrontation, the "Luther Affair"
  • Posts "ninety-five theses" on church door (1517)
  • Papal bull (document) threatened Luther with excommunication 1520
  • Luther publicly burned it; so excommunicated
C. Why Luther survived attack
  • Compelling message
  • Powerful personality
  • Ambitions of German princes and free cities for control of Church lands and to be free of church taxes
  • Printing press drove reform:  300,000 copies of tracts







Luther preaches against the Peasants' War
 D. The Unfolding Reformation
  • Luther’s radical followers attacked churches, destroyed images, kicked monks and nuns out of monasteries
  • Peasant rebellion (1525) (map p. 480)
    • Ultimately condemned by Luther, who urge submission to civil authority
      • Rulers were ordained by God
    • Luther gained even greater support from nobility
  • Charles V declares Catholicism religion of the Holy Roman Emperor (1529)
    • Lutheran princes who protested came to be known as Protestants

III. The Rise of Protestantism (map 12.1, p.484)

A. Huldrych Zwingli (1484-1531) (Hunt pp. 481-83)
  • German speaking priest from Zurich
  • No seperation between citizen and Christian
  • Strict theocratic society with severe penalties to dissenters
    • Attacked Anabaptist for their believes
B. John Calvin (1509-1564)
  • French speaking priest from Geneva
  • Influenced by ideas of Luther and Zwingli
  • Preached the doctrine of "predestination"
    • Only God knew who was among the "elect" and the "damned"
  • Created the "Reformed Church"
  • Believed in theocratic society, no dissent
  • Ideas spread to throughout Europe and to New England


Rene Boyvin, John Calvin

Holbein, Portrait of Henry VIII (1536) Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection, Madrid
 C. England Goes Protestant (Hunt, pp. 495-498)
  • Henry VIII (r. 1509-1547) (six wives)
  • Wanted divorce; pope would not grant
  • Became head of the Church of England
  • Confiscated Church lands
  • Henry VIII, daughter Elizabeth I (r. 1558-1603) maintains Protestant power
  • Defeats the Spanish Armada lead by Catholic King Philip in 1588