Chapter 1 Section 3

Martin Luther and the Reformation.

 As secular authorities gained power, and the power of the church began to decline, many the rich ruling class began to resent having to pay taxes to the church.  The church had become corrupt. o In order to pay for its armies that defended the Papal States, and out of greed the church began to sell many of its highest offices. o Wealthy families were able to pay to make their sons bishops or Cardinals. o Bishops and Cardinals are considered princes of the church. They vote at conclave to choose the next Pope. (Very powerful) o Often Wealthy Families would dedicate their non-firstborn sons to the church and attempt to gain religious power for their family. o The great Medici family who were the patrons of Michelangelo and many other artist the time, also had several family members became cardinals, four of whom later became popes. o Many of these people were elevated to the rank of cardinal before the age of 13. o Since these offices provided power, and were sought after, for their power, many of those who rose to power were corrupt, unscrupulous, and immoral.  The church also took advantage of the poor. o In order to gain more money the church began to sell indulgences. o An indulgence is the practice of taking money in exchange for the forgiveness of sins. It was basically a get out of jail free card, only not free... o The church also charged common people to see the bones or other various remains of Saints. o Saints were people who performed miracles of faith, or who were martyred for their faith, or who led exemplary lines. o The church would set up pilgrimages and would sell food and lodging along the path to a church or cathedral. o The cathedral would hold a relic, possibly the jawbone of a saint, or a splinter from Jesus’s cross. The church would then collect a monetary donation to touch the object and be free from their sins.  Many humanist thinkers such as the Erasmus, and Thomas Moore sought for reformation within the church. Thomas Moore was eventually executed for his believes by Henry the VIII of England.  In 1517 a German monk named Martin Luther protested the actions of a church official who was selling indulgences to the poor.  Luther, in protest against the corrupt practices of the church, nailed his list of 95 theses to the church door.  Because of the invention of the printing press Martin Luther’s words were spread far and wide.  This was the beginning of the Reformation.  The Reformation was a movement that led to the formation of new Christian churches.  Pope Leo the 10th, Born Giovanni di Lorenzo de ‘Medici, punished Luther for his views.  The pope threatened to excommunicate Luther if you did not publicly renounce his views.  Excommunication means to be cut from the church, and according to church law never to enter into the gates of heaven. It was a sentence considered more severe than execution.  Holy Roman emperor Charles V declared Luther an outlaw. Luther was forced to flee for his life. His books were burned and his followers persecuted.  The Lutheran Church started in 1522. And despite persecution survives this day as one the main branches of Christianity.  In 1524 peasants in Germany hoped to use Lutheran ideas and serfdom.  Serfdom is condition like slavery and which peasants worked the land of a lord, or wealthy landowner, who protected them in exchange for their work and taxes.  When the change was not granted the people revolted. Martin Luther disagreed with this revolt. He did not want bloodshed in his name. The German princes killed thousands.  Some nobles supported Martin Luther’s ideas but not necessarily because they believed in them. They felt that his ideas weekend the holy Roman emperors and ultimately give these Nobles more power.  Other German princes remained loyal to the pope, in exchange for more power and papal favor.  The people who protested against the corrupt practices the church became known as Protestants.  War broke out between Catholics and Protestants in Germany, and didn’t end until 1555 at the piece Augsburg.  The treaty at Augsburg allowed each German prince to choose whether his subjects were Catholic or Protestant.

England Becomes Protestant  The Catholic Church faced another challenge to its power in England.  King Henry VIII was married to Catherine of Aragon, a Spanish princess.  She gave birth to daughter named Mary. Henry needed to have a male heir to the throne of England.  Henry believed that a Civil War would start he had no son.  He also believed that his wife was too old to have another child.  He tried to get the pope to annul his marriage Catherine of Aragon.  To annul means to invalidate the marriage. Different from a Divorce, but only technically.  The pope refused. Henry the eighth face excommunication if you were to seek a divorce from Catherine.  In 1534 Henry decided to create the Church of England and divorced Catherine of Aragon under his own authority as head of the new church.  Henry remarried five times and never had a surviving male heir.  In 1558 Elizabeth I and finished creating a separate English Church called the Anglican Church.