Luther Starts the Reformation

Vocab: Reformation, Peace of Augsburg, annul

Causes of the Reformation

Printing press spread secular ideas Rulers were tired of the pope’s. Northern merchants did not want to pay taxes

to the Pope. Religious reform started in Germany and spread

to the rest of Europe.

Problems in the Catholic Church

Church leaders were corrupt Church leaders lived too extravagantly Lower clergy were illiterate Wycliffe & Hus proclaimed that the Bible had

more authority than the Church.

Luther Challenges the Church

Martin Luther was a German monk from Wittenberg, Ge

1517 Luther decided to stand up to the local leader who was selling indulgences.

Indulgences was a pardon. The seller of these

pardons had people believing that they could buy their way into heaven.

The 95 Theses Luther did not like these pardons. He wrote 95

stmts or Theses attacking the practice. Oct. 31, 1517 Luther posted these 95 Theses to

the castle in Wittenberg and challenged anyone to debate him.

Due to the printing press these Theses were spread all over Germany.

Led to the Reformation which was a movement of church reform.

Luther’s Reform Requests

Arguments were that : People could only receive salvation only by

faith in god’s gift of forgiveness. All Church teachings should be based on the

words of the Bible. All people of the faith were equal.

The Response Many merchants and rulers

used Luther’s teachings for political and personal reasons.

1520 Pope Leo X excommunicated Luther for his beliefs.

Charles V who was The Holy Roman Emperor called Luther to Worms in 1521 to stand trial.

Luther did not recant and the Edict of Worms was delivered declaring Luther a heretic.

Reforms 1522 Priests began wearing ordinary clothes and called

themselves ministers. Led services in German instead of Latin. Some were married. Luther and his followers began a separate group called

Lutherans. 1524 German peasants revolted against serfdom. Luther sided with the princes of Germany and many

peasants rejected Luther and his teachings.

War in Germany Many northern Germany princes used Luther’s

teachings for political gain. Seized church property and declared

independence from Charles V. Princes and kings became known as

Protestants. Charles V went to war with these Protestant

princes. He defeated them in 1547 but they did not return to the Catholic Church.

War in Germany Charles V ordered all German princes Catholic

& Protestant to Augsburg. There it was decided that each ruler of his

region would decided the religion of his state. Became known as the Peace of Augsburg which

was signed in 1555.

England Become Protestant

Henry VIII wanted a son. His wife Catherine of Aragon was too old to have children. He needed a male heir.

Henry VIII wanted to annul his marriage.

The Pope turned his request down.

Henry called Parliament into a special session in 1529 to end the power of the Pope in England.

Henry VIII Parliament became known as The Reformation

Parliament. Parliament passed laws ending the Popes

power in England. 1534 Parliament passed a law making the

English King head of the Church. Henry seizes church property and monasteries.

Increases his wealth.

England’s Turmoil Each child of Henry VIII

ruled causing religious problems. Edward VI & Elizabeth I were Protestant. Mary was Catholic and had many Protestant killed.

Queen Elizabeth had to fight King Philip of Spain due to her support of Protestant rebels against him.

The English defeated the Spanish Armada in 1588.