Reformation+Reading

As the Renaissance spread throughout Europe the standard of living among Europeans greatly improved. As this happened, more people could afford to have their children receive a formal education. With more people being able to read and write, the number of individuals who read the bible increased. Many began to criticize the Catholic Church, which was the most powerful institution during the Middle Ages, for its extravagance and for its abuses. There were many people who felt that the practices and teachings of the Church were not consistent with the teachings found in the scriptures. The result was what historians call the Protestant Reformation. ** Martin Luther ** The Protestant Reformation continued to gather support, beginning with the efforts of a German monk born in 1483. This monk’s name was Martin Luther. Luther’s parents wanted him to become a lawyer, and were sending him to law school. Deep within his heart however, Martin Luther wanted to serve God. Eventually, Martin Luther joined a monastery in Germany, and began to dedicate his life to learning and teaching the Gospel. The more he studied, the more he felt that the Catholic Church had gone astray. He collected a list of different points, or theses, of doctrine where he felt that the Church was incorrect. The selling of indulgences particularly bothered him. An indulgence, a religious pardon that released a sinner from performing specific penalties, could be bought from a church official for various fees. Martin Luther was especially troubled because some church officials gave people the impression that they could buy their way into heaven.
 * __ The Reformation __**

To express his growing concern of church corruption, Martin Luther wrote his famous 95 Theses, which called for a full reform of the Christian Church. In it, he stressed the following points: - People could only win salvation by faith in God's forgiveness. The Church taught that faith, along with good works was needed for salvation. - The Pope is a false authority. The bible was the one true authority. - All people with faith in Christ were equal. People did not need priest and bishops to interpret the bible for them. They could read it themselves and make up their own minds. - Religious services were held in Latin, rather than the local vernacular. People could not understand and think for themselves about what was being said. On October 31st, 1517 Martin wrote these 95 points of doctrine on paper, which he nailed to the door of the All Saints Catholic Church in Wittenberg, Germany. Thanks to the ** [|printing press] **, Luther’s 95 Theses was reprinted throughout Germany. Soon he attracted many followers. And many enemies. One result was the Catholic Church losing out on the collection of money that they collected in exchange for indulgences. As the money from the sale of indulgences greatly declined, Pope Leo X grew upset, and sent convoys to Martin Luther in an attempt to get him to recant his disagreement. Martin Luther refused to do so stating that he had an obligation to God to do what he felt was right. By A.D. 1520 the Catholic Church had had enough. The Pope excommunicated Martin Luther and declared him a heretic, someone who speaks out against the church. This was a crime punishable by death. Luther went into exile while things calmed down. When Luther emerged from his exile ten months later, he found many of his theories had been put into practice. Priests now wore regular clothing, and called themselves ministers. Religious services were held in German rather than Latin. And many of the clergy had begun to marry. Martin Luther himself married a former nun in 1524. Instead of pushing for reforms, the protesting Christians had begun their own religion. Styling themselves after their founder, they called themselves Lutherans.

In 1529 several German princes banded together, and signed a decree at the Diet of Speyer, publicly declaring their support for Luther and his teachings. They became known as the //protesting princes//, hence the word //Protestant//.

In the years following Martin Luther’s radical break with the church, much warfare occurred in and around Western Europe. Despite their best efforts, Catholic (as they were now referred to) rulers often could not bring their subjects back to the Church. In 1555, at the Peace of Augsburg, all German princes agreed that the religion of each German state was to be decided by its ruler.