Chapter 13: The Reform of Religion

• In early 16th century, reformers throughout western Europe preached new ideas about religious doctrine and religious practice   * Initially, the ideas took form of sustained critique of Roman Catholic Church but soon gained momentum of their own
• There were problems with Churches   * Renaissance Popes were considered too worldly   * Church officials were poorly educated   * Priests didn’t abide by the rules   * People developed higher standards
• Christian leaders and Humanists of Northern Renaissance presented new ideas   * Printing Press   * Italian Humanism combined with Christain Humanism
• Italian Humanism   * Secular interests   * Texts and languages (classical)   * Examined words and their meanings
• Christian Humanism   * Reform movement   * Applied ideals of Humanism to Church doctrine   * Wanted to make people better Christians   * Education of Women   * Challenged Church education
• Erasmus   * Wanted to unite individual Christian with textual basis of Christian doctrine
• Printing Press (1455)   * 9-10 million books printed in 50 years   * Bible is the first book printed (Johann Gutenburg)   * Increase in education   * Government increased uniformity of law   * Newly emerging scientific ideas spread quickly   * Increased value placed on discovery of new ideas
• Reformation   * People formed own opinions on religion   * Ideas spread more quickly   * People started to criticize the church more   * New economic pressure
• Economic innovation from Renaissance allowed people to be more independent in their daily lives
• Feudal systems started to make way for a more nationalist worldview
• Reformation became a way to challenge political authority
• Martin Luther believed that salvation came from having “faith in God”   * Wrote 95 Theses   * Put on trial by Charles V at Diet of Worms   * Luther was supported by the Germans   * German Princes joined Luther in protest against the Pope
• Luther was supported by the German Princes, free towns, and women
• Switzerland had two reformation movements
• Henry VIII   * Became king in 1509 at age 18   * Was a devout Catholic   * “Defender of the Faith”   * Henry established new church to annul his first marriage to marry Anne Boleyn to have a son   * Head of the Church of England   * Seized all church property and sold it to nobles   * Beheaded Anne Boleyn cause he still didn’t have a male child   * Had a son with third wife   * Had 6 wives   * Died in 1548
• Henry VIII’s son Edward becomes king at age 12   * Mary becomes queen after Edward’s death   * Elizabeth I locked up Mary and became Queen     * Restored Protestantism to England     * Dealt with return of radical Protestants and Catholics     * Compromise between conservatives and radicals was created by 39 Articles
• Early Protestants didn’t believe in separation of church and state and weren’t democratic
• Protestant values made the commercial and industrial middle class stronger
• Reformation created a new social, economic, and political way of life with the emerging middle class being able to flourish
• Accumulation of wealth became a sign of living a “good life”
• Western Europe developed due to geographical advantages such as coal and iron
• Protestantism and Catholicism acted in ways that supported emerging capitalism

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