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Reformation
Protestant Reformation
For most of the 1000 years after the fall of the Western Roman Empire, the Catholic Church was the only centralized authority in Western Europe. While kingdoms rose and fell, the Church remained and was the only religious authority in Europe. But beginning in the 15th century, people began to question the authority of the Catholic Church and specifically the Pope. What followed was a turning point in the history of Western Europe and the Catholic Church's position in society.
The Protestant Reformation actually began with John Wycliffe, who first attacked corruption in the Church, "including the sale of indulgences, pilgrimages, the excessive veneration of saints, and the low moral and intellectual standards of ordained priests." ("Protestant Reformation") Wycliffe's followers, called Lollards, continued his protests after his death in 1482, and were certainly an influence on Martin Luther. Generally attributed with beginning the actual Reformation, Martin Luther was a German priest who, when convinced that the Catholic Church was in need of reform, nailed a list of grievances, called the "95 Theses," to the door of a Church in Wittenberg Germany. The 95 Theses contained a number of criticisms against the Church, its theological beliefs, and the practices it engaged in.
In response to Martin Luther, Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, called...
Among these others were Huldreich Zwingli, John Calvin, John Knox, and finally Henry VIII, King of England. The three main issues which divided Protestants from Catholics was the Protestant belief in the supremacy of scripture, the belief that salvation did not have to earned but was given freely as a gift from God, and the belief in the priesthood of the believer. Eventually four main categories of Protestants were formed: Lutheran, Reformed, Radical, and Anglican which, although similar, differed in their beliefs about the transubstantiation and the importance of the Lord's Supper.
After some time the Catholic Church finally recognized that it was in need of reforming, but there was no centralized reform system, no official list of things that needed reform, and no group…
Works Cited
Herring, George. An Introduction to the History of Christianity. Washington Square,
NY: New York UP, 2006. Print.
Mullet, Michael. Martin Luther. London: Routledge, 2004. Print
"Protestant Reformation." Theopedia, an Encyclopedia of Biblical Christianity. Web.
03 Dec. 2012. http://www.theopedia.com/Protestant_Reformation
Protestant Reformation Calvin vs. Luther John Calvin and Martin Luther while both proponents of reform in the Catholic church, held distinctly different views of religious doctrine that profoundly influenced the religious landscape during the 16th century and encouraged citizens to take charge of their spirituality and salvation. Both religious leaders helped shape and influence the Reformation and formed the foundation for Episcopalian and Presbyterian beliefs today. The Protestant Reformation is often considered
Protestant Reformation occurred as a reaction to the increasing encroachment of the Catholic Church on the political, social, and economic affairs of Europeans. Although the Protestant Reformation had a strong theological and doctrinal component, it would evolve into a major turning point in history that transcended religion. The Protestant Reformation was essentially a protest made in order to reform the heart of Christianity. It began when Martin Luther nailed 95 theses,
Protestant Reformation Western civilization has thrived for centuries, with the combined power and influence of the State and the Catholic Church. History up to the 16th century had witnessed a flourishing society influenced and ultimately, governed, by the principles and tenets of Catholicism. Inevitably, the Catholic way of life is the social way of life during these times. But the Church's stronghold over the society had been plagued with numerous incidents
Reformation The Italian Renaissance, in Babcock's account, was more secular than the Northern, which gave us the Reformation. Yet there seem to be contradictions in his account of the Northern Renaissance. For example, Babcock argues that the Reformation is alive today for the reasons that Max Weber emphasized in his 1905 book "whose title gives the whole thesis away": The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism. (Babcock 212). Weber claims
The sale provoked Martin Luther to write his famous 95 theses that signaled the start of the Protestant Reformation. ("Protestantism" 2006; "The Reformation" 2004) Even before the 16th century reform movement, several attempts had been made to challenge the authority of the Church but the dissent was successfully suppressed. However, by the 16th century, a number of political and social factors made the conditions in Europe ripe for the success
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