Download The Reformation

The Reformation
Crisis in Western Europe
1517-1598
Background to the Reformation
Ongoing Abuses within the Church
– The “training” of average priests
– The privileges of church leaders
• Pluralism/Absenteeism
• Nepotism
• General worldliness (preoccupied
with politics and power)
The Reformation
• Background
• Luther
– Early Life; becomes an Augustinian friar
– 95 Theses to the Diet of Worms
– What Allowed him to continue?
• Spread and diversity of reform ideas
• Catholic responses
Pope Leo X (r. 1513-1521)
Leo X, Giovanni de
Medici, son of
Lorenzo the
Magnificent, ruler
of Florence
Clement VII (on
left) was Leo’s
nephew, and was
elected pope 1523
Background to the Reformation
• Ongoing abuses within the Church
– The “training” of average priests
– The privileges of church leaders
• Pluralism
• Nepotism
• General worldliness
• Literacy and print culture
• Political changes
Political Developments, 1450-1550
• A Fourth Great Power: Spanish kingdoms united
– Marriage of Ferdinand, king of Aragon, and
Isabella, queen of Castile
– Spanish Inquisition established 1478
– Impact of Exploration 1492
– Marriage Alliances
• English Dynastic Change: Tudor Dynasty Founded
(1485)
– Henry VII (r.1485-1509)
– Henry VIII (r. 1509-1547)
• France: Valois Dynasty Under Francis I
• Charles V Becomes Holy Roman Emperor (1519)
Europe in the Reign of Charles V
The Trials of Charles V
• Disunited Empire
– More than 300 German States Alone
– His focus was divided between his
Spanish Holdings and his Holy Roman
Holdings
• Ongoing rivalry with the French over
control of Italy
• Attacks from the Turks
Martin Luther (1483-1546)
• Educated and
trained as a Catholic
theologian
• His “95 Theses” and
the challenge on
indulgences
• Development of his
thinking leads to
excommunication
(1520)
Luther’s Thinking Develops
• Three Significant Pamphlets (1520)
– Address to the Christian Nobility of the
German Nation
– The Babylonian Captivity of the Church
– Freedom of a Christian
• Two Major Doctrinal Innovations
– Sola Fide (By Faith Alone)
– Sola Scriptura (Scripture Only)
The Role of Print Culture in
Spreading Luther’s Thought
Luther at the Diet of Worms (1521): “I cannot and I
will not recant anything, for to go against
conscience is neither right nor safe. Here I stand, I
cannot do otherwise.”
Luther Protected by Frederick the
Wise, Elector of Saxony
• German princes
harbor Luther as
challenge to papal
role in politics
• Charles V unable to
respond initially due
to other concerns
• Luther translates
Bible into German
The Peasants’
Revolt (1525-26)
Challenge to authority
of church and state.
Eventually denounced
by Luther
Ulrich Zwingli (1484-1531)
• Based in Zurich
• Scripture as the only
authority
• Non-sacramental
liturgy(They’re
Symbols)
• Marburg Colloquy
(1529) dispute with
Luther
• Dies in Battle during
Swiss civil war
Anabaptists: Radical Reformers
• “Re-baptizers”: Bible a
blueprint for society
• Conrad Grebel & the
Swiss Brethren --
Schleitheim
Confession (1527)
• Thomas Muentzer
claims Luther sold out
• Muenster Experiment
in 1534-35
• Menno Simons
advocates pacifism
(Mennonites)
Jean Calvin (1509-1564)
• Law student turned
theologian who
converts in 1534 and
flees to Geneva
• Brief time in
Strasbourg with
Martin Bucer
• Institutes of the
Christian Religion
(1536): Predestination
• Return to Geneva, the
center of Reform in
late-16th century
The Church Strike Back
• Catholic reformers gain the upper hand
in the church
• An attempt to counter the success of the
Reformation in its theological aspects
• Not by compromise or accommodation
but distinctness and reaffirmation of
traditional beliefs
The Catholic Reformation
• Charles V tries negotiation, then force
– Schmalkaldic League: Protestant princes
come together to defend themselves
• Defeated in 1547 at Mühlberg
– Peace of Augsburg (1555): Cuius regio,
eius religio.
• “Reform in the bones”: New Foundations
– Capuchins
– Ursulines
– Jesuits: The shock troops of Catholic
reform: education and advisors to rulers
Pope Paul III Recognizes
Ignatius of Loyola
Catholic Propaganda Against Luther
The Catholic Reformation (“Reform in
the Head”)
• Initial response is to ignore
– Fifth Lateran Council (1513-1517): “Men are
to be changed by, not to change, religion.”
• Paul III (r. 1534-1549)
– Interesting blend of old and new
– Places reformers in the curia
– “Advice of the Reform of the Church” (1537)
– Sets up Roman Inquisition (The Holy Office
in 1542)
– Calls Council of Trent (1545-1563)
The Council of Trent (1545-1563)
• Reaffirmed Old Doctrines
– Authority in tradition AND Scripture
– Church seen as sole interpreter of Bible
– Salvation through faith AND works
– Affirmed distinction between laity and
priesthood
– Rejected predestination
• Improved training of priests and required
bishops to spend time in their dioceses
• Encouraged missionary zeal
• Repressive measures as well: Inquisition and
“The Index”
Sorting Through the Doctrinal Differences
•
•
•
•
Sources of Salvation
Attitude towards Sacraments
Role of the Clergy
Relations between Church and State
Henry VIII (r. 1509)
• Devout Catholic:
“Fidei Defensor ”
• Marriage Troubles
in 1520s based in
part on succession
concerns and on
religious concerns
The Wives of Henry VIII:
Six or Two?
The English Reformation Under
Henry VIII
• His Key Advisors on Reform
– Thomas Cromwell (Political: Controlled
Parliament)
– Thomas Cranmer (Religious: Archbishop of
Canterbury)
• Administrative Change and Some Doctrinal
Reform: Cromwell and Cranmer
–
–
–
–
Act in Restraint of Appeals (1532)
Act of Supremacy (1534)
Ten Articles (1536) & Six Articles (1539)
Upshot = Modest Reform Till Henry’s Death in
1547
Edward VI (r. 1547-1553)
• Boy King aided by
uncles who were
devout Protestants
• Cranmer and
Continental
Reformers also
Important
• 1549 & 1552: Act of
Uniformity and
Book of Common
Prayer
Mary I (r. 1553-1558)
• Daughter of
Catherine of
Aragon: devout
Catholic
• Turns back the
clock on reform &
persecutes
“Heretics”
• Marries Philip II of
Spain, champion of
Catholicism in
Europe
Elizabeth I (r. 1558-1603)
• ModerateProtestant
• Act of Supremacy
(1559); Modified
Book of Common
Prayer; and issued
“39 Articles” (1563)
• Faced Protestant and
Catholic threats
• Rivalry with Spain
over English role on
continent: Plots and
“The Armada” (1588)
Religions in Europe @1560
Religious Wars in the 1500s
• Problems within France due to 3 Factors
– Spread of Protestantism;
– Dynastic uncertainties; and
– Overmighty noble factions
• Problems in The Netherlands due to 3
Factors
– Conflict with King Philip II of Spain;
– Connections with other Protestant areas;
and
– Rise of local resistance
Huguenots in France: 2,000
Congregations (ca.1561)
Successors of Henry II (d. 1559)
Catherine de Medicis
Queen Mother & Regent
Francis II
Charles IX
Henry III
(r. 1559-1560) (r. 1560-1574) (r. 1574-1589)
Noble Factions in France
• Catholic Faction led
by the Guise family
• Duke of Guise starts
wars in 1562 by
killing a Huguenot
congregation at
Vassy
• 1576 Henry of Guise
est. Catholic League
• Protestant Faction
led first by the
Bourbon and
MontmorencyChatillon factions
• Key man by late
1580s is Henry of
Navarre
• Navarre will help
Henry III defeat the
Catholic League
(1589)
Massacres of Protestants: Vassy
and St. Bartholomew’s Day
Navarre Becomes Henry IV
(r. 1589-1610)
• Henry III assassinated
in 1589, no heir
• Navarre Has two claims
to Throne: descent and
marriage to Henry III’s
sister
• He converts: “Paris is
worth a mass.”
• Edict of Nantes (1598):
religious toleration for
Huguenots
• Henry IV assassinated in
1610
The Dutch Revolt
• Philip II of Spain (r. 15561598) attempts to exert
control over The
Netherlands
• Locals resist imposition of
Tridentine Catholicism
and Spanish-style
administration
• Dutch towns among
wealthiest in Europe with
contacts in England and
among the German states
• Spanish face increasingly
unified resistance led by
William of Orange and
after defeat of the Armada
in 1588 begin to pull back.
The Twelve Years’ Truce, 1609