Outlines for “A History of the Modern World” 9th Edition

Palmer, Colton, and Kramer

 

Chapter Two Section Nine:  The Protestant Reformation

 

1.     Introduction

a.      Three factors contributing to the religious conflicts of the 1500s

                                                              i.      Dissatisfaction with the opulence of the Church by the poor

1.     religious ideas are mixed with class conflict - Mennonites

                                                            ii.      Drift toward autonomy of independent city-states fostered disconnect between the middle-class and the Church

1.     Church is feudal in organization and city-states are moving toward modern organizational models – Calvinists

                                                          iii.      Competition between local kings and lords with the Church over property, taxes, jurisdiction and influence

1.     Kings wanted to master their territories

b.     Kings and city-states realizes their demands

c.     The lowest class does not

d.     Religious lines are drawn and over a century of war Protestantism and Catholicism begin to co-exist 1560 to 1648

2.     Martin Luther

a.      Found little personal assurance in salvation through the sacraments

b.     Peace of mind came through “justification by faith” rather than works

c.     Challenge to indulgences “95 Theses”

                                                              i.      Revolutionary idea that penance and the priesthood are unnecessary to achieve absolution

d.     Challenges the authority of the Pope

                                                              i.      Claims there is no earthly authority of God

                                                            ii.      The Bible must be read and interpreted individually

e.      Luther’s perspectives

                                                              i.      Two sacraments

                                                            ii.      No purgatory

                                                          iii.      Transubstantiation by “presence”

                                                         iv.      Clergy should marry

                                                           v.      End monasticism

                                                         vi.      State should direct religious affairs of the state

                                                       vii.      Luther was excommunicated

1.     Diet of Worms appeared but did not recant

2.     Found sanctuary in the dominions of the Northern German Princes

f.       Luther’s challenges spread

                                                              i.      Some use the opportunity to advance personal interests

1.     Land, liberty

2.     Extended Luther’s ideas about religious affairs to state affairs

                                                            ii.      Luther modifies position in face of social rebellions

1.     Clergy has place over laity for instruction

2.     Submissiveness to the state

g.     States in the HR Empire respond to HR Emperor’s aggressive actions against Lutheranism

                                                              i.      Demand among their liberties autonomy in religious matters

                                                            ii.      Reform the church in their area

                                                          iii.      Secularized church property

h.     French response

                                                              i.      Alliance with Schmalkald

                                                            ii.      Overtures extended to the Ottomans

                                                          iii.      Intrigue with Lutherans

                                                         iv.      Keep Germany divided

i.        Papacy’s response

                                                              i.      Delay action and avoid a Church Council

j.        Result

                                                              i.      Germany falls into civil war

                                                            ii.      Peace of Augsburg 1555

1.     Victory for Lutheranism and states rights

a.      States get to choose religion

b.     Clergy that convert must leave property of Church

                                                          iii.      Lutheranism spreads to Scandinavia

3.     Calvin

a.      French origin

b.     Institutes of the Christian Religion

                                                              i.      Challenges to the Church found application in many areas around the world

c.     Rejected consubstantiation in favor of symbolic communion

d.     Predestination

                                                              i.      Salvation is by God’s grace – he then destines some to be saved

1.     the elect

2.     Lives must reflect the characteristics of one “chosen”

e.      Christianize the state

f.       Presbyteries replaced bishops and brought lay figures into the church making the leadership of the church more secular

g.     Still the Calvinists were the reverse of secular in their ideas to Christianize all society

h.     Sets up a community in Switzerland

                                                              i.      Elders ruled Geneva

                                                            ii.      Repressed frivolous living

                                                          iii.      Exiled non-conformers

                                                         iv.      Iconography was banned

                                                           v.      Black apparel

                                                         vi.      Singing without instruments

i.        Geneva becomes the capital of Protestantism

                                                              i.      Reformers from around the world study in Geneva and return to their homes to spread Calvinist ideas

1.     Puritans, Huguenots, Presbyterian, Congregationalist

j.        Calvinism and democracy

                                                              i.      The state is subject to moral judgment

                                                            ii.      Mechanisms of democracy evident in election of Presbyteries

                                                          iii.      Democratic view on life roles as all work was Godly

k.     Many nobles adopted Calvinism to challenge established authorities

4.     The Reformation in England

a.      Henry VIII

                                                              i.      Devout Catholic

                                                            ii.      Needed an heir to extend Tudor rule

                                                          iii.      Asked Pope to annul his marriage to Catherine of Aragon was aunt of Charles the V

                                                         iv.      Henry took over Canterbury, disestablished Rome and took a new wife – Anne Boleyn

                                                           v.      1534 Parliament passes the Act of Supremacy making Henry the head of the Church of England

1.     Thomas More refused to take oath of supremacy and was executed

                                                         vi.      Closed the monasteries

                                                       vii.      Seized Church lands and established gentry

                                                     viii.      Maintained “Catholic” rites – transubstantiation

                                                         ix.      Soon to be challenged within England from Protestants

b.     Edward VI is Protestant but dies young

c.     Mary – daughter of Catherine of Aragon

                                                              i.      Tries to re-Catholicize England

                                                            ii.      Marries Philip of Spain –

                                                          iii.      Burns 300 Protestants at the stake

                                                         iv.      Unpopular queen dies young

d.     Elizabeth I 1558 – daughter of Anne Boleyn

                                                              i.      Could not be Catholic – illegitimate

                                                            ii.      English Church is run by the crown through Parliament

                                                          iii.      English replaces Latin

                                                         iv.      Much doctrine was vague

                                                           v.      Established Church of England over Ireland

5.     Consolidation of Protestantism by 1560

a.      The institution of Latin Christendom was broken

b.     All Protestants

                                                              i.      Rejected papal authority

                                                            ii.      Rejected special character of the priesthood

                                                          iii.      Protestant clergy could marry

                                                         iv.      No monasteries

                                                           v.      Replaced Latin with vernacular

                                                         vi.      Reduced sacraments to two or three

                                                       vii.      Denied transubstantiation

                                                     viii.      Gave up the confessional and priestly absolution

                                                         ix.      Denied the concept of purgatory

                                                           x.      Gave up the saints and cult of the Virgin

                                                         xi.      True source of Christianity was the Holy Scripture

                                                       xii.      Allowed private judgment in matters of conscience

c.     Economic motivations of Protestant movements were secondary to religious convictions

d.     Protestantism and the family

                                                              i.      Parenthood become honorable for Protestant leaders

                                                            ii.      Autonomy of women was lost and domestic roles defined