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Renaissance and the Church
- The Renaissance (roughly 1200s-1600s, was a cultural movement emphasizing humanism, and all things GrecoRoman) developed within the social framework of Christianity…the Church did not change much as it began.
- The papacy wanted Rome to be the cultural center of Europe and the Renaissance. After being in Florence, by the
1500s, Rome became the cultural center, and the Church heavily promoted the arts.
- The Church now went by the title, “Roman Catholic Church” (“Catholic” means “universal”…oxymoron).
- The Protestant Reformation, beginning in 1517, would be the most significant event in Christianity during this time.
Abridged Christianity Timeline to 1517 A.D.
29-33 A.D.?
313
325
“Death” of Jesus
Edict of Milan
Christianity starts
Christianity Legal
in R. Empire
1054
East/West Schism
First Major Split in Christianity:
Eastern Orthodox vs. Catholic
Council of Nicaea
476
Christianity Only in R. Empire
1378-1417
Great Schism
Argument over who was
the real Pope
c. 1000
Fall of Western R. Empire
Roman Catholicism official
type of Christianity in R. Empire
1095-1291
the Crusades
Wars to regain
Holy Land
380/394
Vikings = Christians
All of Europe now Christian
1453
Fall of Eastern R. Empire
Constantinople conquered by
Ottoman Empire/Muslims
1517
Protestant Reformation
Split Church in Western Europe
Troubles with the Church
- Despite being the largest European land owner and controlling 20-25% of Europe’s wealth, by 1500
the Roman Catholic Church (a.k.a. “Catholics” or the “Church”) had 3 serious problems:
1) Lots of corruption in the Church
- Papal corruption (The Pope)…wars were fought, expensive arts commissioned, debauchery
- Indulgences were freely sold as a way for someone to buy his/her way into Heaven…there was
an increase in the selling of these to pay for St. Peter’s Basilica in the early 1500s
- Lower clergy, local monasteries often undereducated and/or corrupt (drinking, gambling, affairs
common)
2) The Renaissance’s emphasis on non-religious (secular) and individualism
- Led to people questioning the value of the Church
3) Constant competition for power with kings, with the kings winning
- Crusades, Black Plague, rise of Muslim world hurt Church’s prestige by the end Medieval Age
- Examples of political problems: France appointed clerical jobs, opposed rival Habsburg empire even
by allying with Ottoman Empire (Muslims), Northern Europeans in some places stopped paying the
expected 10% Church tax (tithe), Spain’s monarchy taxed its churches, England eventually took all
of the Church’s land
* At this time, common Europeans still believed in witches, magic, feared going to Hell, etc., and were
usually ignorant of Church doctrine, and/or the political struggles that took place on higher levels.
Education was very low for the common European.
Earlier Attempts at Church Reform
John Wycliffe (1328-84)
- English, said that Jesus was the true head of the Church, against
Church’s wealth, said the Bible was the final authority
- Declared a heretic (false Christian/destined for Hell) after his death. His
remains were dug up, burned, and his ashes were scattered.
Jan Hus (1370-1415)
- Bohemian (Czech), very influenced by Wycliffe,
professor, also thought that the Bible was the final
authority, against Papal (Pope’s) total power
- Excommunicated (kicked out of Church/destined for
Hell) in 1412, burned at the stake as a heretic in 1415
Martin Luther (1483-1546)
- From The Holy Roman Empire (Saxony/Germany),
Martin Luther had a strict father who wanted him
to be a lawyer. He later went to law school.
- Luther survived a near-death experience and this
convinced him to become a monk. He was the
model monk, but always questioned his faith and
was not content.
- Luther made a pilgrimage to Rome, and was
horrified by the corruption he saw, and became
disenchanted with the Church.
Martin Luther’s
95 Theses
- On October 31, 1517, Luther posted a list of 95 problems with the Church (95 Theses) on a church’s
door in Wittenberg, Germany. It especially attacked “pardon merchants,” Church corruption.
- Someone translated Luther’s theses in German, (originally it was in Latin) and mass printed it (the
printing press having been invented since 1450). Soon it was read all over Europe, and Luther became a
hero to many, especially in Germany.
- At first, the Pope, Leo X, did not take Luther seriously, saying that (paraphrase), “He was a drunken
German who would come to his senses when he sobered up.”
Luther’s Ideas
Luther preached 4 main ideas about Church Reform:
1) Salvation is possible through faith and God’s forgiveness alone (not through “good deeds” as the Church
said)
2) Church teachings should be based on the Bible, period. The Pope/Church do not have power over it.
3) All people are equal under the eyes of God, so priests are not necessary to interpret the Bible, etc.
4) Only 2 sacraments are necessary (Baptism, Communion) for salvation instead of 7.
* Luther did not want to end Christianity, but rather change it. He was also not advocating religious
freedom. For example, later in life, he denounced the Jewish community.
* Luther supported the common feeling throughout the Protestant Reformation that women were to obey
their father and husband. Their other job was to bear children, and many families were quite large.
Luther Makes some Enemies
- In 1520, Pope Leo X threatened excommunication unless Luther took back what he said. Luther did not budge, so he was excommunicated.
- 20 year-old Hapsburg Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V, was Catholic and opposed Luther. He summoned Luther to the Diet of Worms in 1521
(like a trial). At the diet, Luther continued to say what he believed, despite it being very dangerous to do so.
- A month later, Charles V announced the Edict of Worms, which made Luther a heretic (and an outlaw). All of his books were to be burned.
- The prince of Saxony, Frederick the Wise, “kidnapped” Luther and hid him in one of his castles. Luther continued working, and even translated
the New Testament (Christian part of the Bible) into German.
- Luther finally returned to Wittenberg in 1522. By now, “Lutherans” had German Church services, and priests married and wore simple clothing.
- Many Germans took Luther’s teachings and expanded them to other parts of life.
- In 1524, riots broke out to end serfdom, and many monasteries were burned and raided. This
began the German Peasant’s War. Luther denounced the violence and the peasants, and
supported the government.
- In a losing effort, as many as 100,000 peasants were killed. Many peasants felt cheated that
Luther did not take their side, and his popularity decreased amongst many.
The German
Peasants’ War
(1524-25)
The Protestant Reformation in Germany
- Many German princes saw Lutheranism as an excuse to seize Church property and move away
from Charles V, so they supported it selfishly. Regardless, Germany became very divided on this issue.
- In 1529, princes loyal to the Pope/Charles V agreed to stop Lutherans. The princes who supported
Lutheranism signed a protest, and this led to the term, “Protestants.”
- War ensued, and dragged on until 1547. Charles V won, but failed to force Protestants back into the Catholic
Church. This weak finale was partially due to the fact that there were serious problems going on with the French and
the Turks, and Charles V did not want a civil war on his hands. Plus, the Pope had recently joined the side of the
French, who were arguably the most powerful nation in Europe and were the Hapsburg’s #1 rival.
- To put the matter to rest, Charles V ordered an assembly at Augsburg. At the meeting, the princes agreed that the
religion of each German state was to be decided by the ruler (no religious freedom). This was known as the Peace of
Augsburg in 1555.
- Lutheranism was quickly accepted in the Scandinavian countries (Sweden, Denmark/Norway), and this became their
brand of Christianity for years to come.
- Witch Hunts increased dramatically after about 1450 and through the Reformation. Over 3,000 were burned at the
stake in Germany (about 80% women, 50% old widows). This impacted different parts of Europe more than others.