The Causes Of Martin Luther And The Protestant Reformation

In a time where Europe was flourishing between the 14th and 17th centuries with their cultural development of the art and sciences, there was a huge schism in the Catholic Church that was originally created by Martin Luther. The Protestant Reformation was initiated in 1517 when the Ninety-five Theses was posted in Saxony, Germany by Luther. Martin Luther was an Augustinian monk who criticized the Church and the papacy and laid the theological reform for the church and the pope’s authority which broke the unity of Christianity. Germany, where he resided, saw many advantages breaking away from the Roman Catholic Church. No longer wanting to be taxed by the church, the princes of the country could gain economic power by establishing their own†¦show more content†¦. . plundering monasteries . . . murder†) that were subject to â€Å"death in body and soul†, and that these crimes were used in Christ’s name which was sacrilege. He put out this theological argument of Godly law which justified the people’s unity and the rebellion. They only had to please God, and not the Prince’s authority. The peasants no longer believed the authority of the old order and tried to create an equal standing of social factors. However, it’s interesting to note that the peasants actually fought for religious equality as well during this radical war. One of Luther’s tools that the peasants used was Sola fide, or ‘justification by faith alone’. In this case, and despite other interpretations, this gave justification for all of the peasant’s actions that they were done during this revolt. God will be able to pardon all the sins that occurred. This included robbing and murdering, that is made clear in the title of this piece. Luther wrote this piece, even though it was published after the war, to tell the peasants that were taking advantage of their religion and abusing its power. Luther quotes a scripture from the Bible in defense that justified the â€Å"enemies’ actions. However, Luther kept up his allegiance with the Princes and justified their actions. He believed that the rebels could be punished by lords on the basis that they have â€Å"become faithless†. He defends their involvement of violence against theShow MoreRelatedThe Protestant Reformation And The Reformation916 Words   |  4 PagesThe Protestant Reformation took place in the 16th century and was a major European movement whose goal was to reform the beliefs and practices of the Roman Catholic Church. This movement led to people worshipping God as they wanted and no longer relying on the Catholic Church for guidance with religious matters. Even though people were doing what they believed, the Protestant Reformation brought many conflicts. Religious disagreements caused bloody conflicts all over Europe. The principal figureRead MoreThe Protestant Reformation And The Reformation Essay1379 Words   |  6 PagesThe Protestant Reformation Why the Protestant Reformation is considered a significant development in the Christian Church. The Protestant Reformation was an event which occurred within the Catholic Church during the 16th century. This Reformation was prompted by Martin Luther’s ‘95 theses’ which were a list of 95 criticisms towards the church. The Reformation formed another branch of Christianity called Protestantism which is comprised of many different Christian denominations including AnglicanRead MoreThe Reformation And The Protestant Reformation876 Words   |  4 Pages The 16th century reformation is also known as the Protestant reformation. There are a various number of causes for the Protestant reformation. The causes of the reformation will be analyzed from two different perspectives: Germany s causes and Europe s causes. The results of reformation will be examined. Major contributors such as Martin Luther and John Calvin s perspectives and contributions will also be analyzed and the impact they had during their time period.  People in Europe during theRead MoreWhat Were The Social Cause Of The Protestant Reformation?1289 Words   |  6 PagesWhat were the social causes of the Protestant Reformation? The bible was being made more accessible than ever. One of the things that led to more people interpreting the bible is that it was translated into everyday language. Another was the fact that the printing press was enabled that allowed multiple copies of the bible to be made. Previous to this, scribes would have to write every bible by hand and this could take years, just for one of them. Another factor was the fact that there was increasedRead MoreIn Class We Have Spent A Lot Of Time Learning And Discussing1100 Words   |  5 PagesIn class we have spent a lot of time learning and discussing Martin Luther’s life and the important role that he played in the protestant reformation. Martin Luther was someone who saw many issues throughout the Catholic Church. Martin Luther was a monk and scholar who w as in Wittenburg. In 1517 Luther penned the 95 theses to the door of a catholic church this document attacked the Catholic Church’s corrupt practice of selling â€Å"indulgences† to absolve sin. He felt that religion should be more personalRead MoreCauses Of The Protestant Reformation1635 Words   |  7 PagesThe Protestant Reformation was the 16th-century religious movement that took place in the Western church. Having far-reaching political, economic, and social effect, the Reformation became the basis for the founding of Protestantism, one of the three major branches of Christianity. Without the changes caused by the Renaissance during the fifteenth century, the Reformation would not have been possible (Haigh). Reformers like Martin Luther, John Calvin, and Henry VIII challenged the Catholic churchRead MoreMartin Luther And The Roman Catholic Church837 Words   |  4 Pagesand dealing with behavior. Hearing what people were saying about the Roman Catholic Church r eformers such as Martin Luther, Henry VII, decided to take matters in their own hands and find a way to reform. Martin Luther was a German professor who then decided to become a priest in 1507. He was against indulgences in which people believed forgave all sins that were committed. As a result, Luther wrote â€Å"Ninety-five Theses on the Power of Indulgences† to argue against indulgences, it was argued, â€Å"indulgencesRead MoreThe Invention Of The Printing Press932 Words   |  4 Pagestwo effects were the exploration of the Americas and the Protestant Reformation. Exploration was Colombus and his explorers â€Å"discovering† America. The printing press had great influence on these events. The Protestant Reformation was also shaped by the printing press, in some cases more than exploration. The Protestant Reformation, or more simply, The Reformation, was a mass conversion of people from the Catholic Church to the Protestant Church. The citizens of Europe started to access more informationRead MoreProtestant Reformation And The Reformation1727 Words   |  7 PagesHI 101 Essay 3 Zhenli Xu Protestant Reformation Protestant Reformation is admittedly one of the most important schisms in the history of Christianity. It started with Martin Luther nailing the Ninety-Five Theses on the door of the Catholic Church in Germany in 1517, and ended with the Peace of Westphalia in 1648. The Reformation was a religious movement triggered by the rise of humanism during the Renaissance and the general corruption of the Roman Catholic Church that eventually led to theRead MoreMakayla Horton. Dr. Skaggs. World Civ. Ii. 1 February 2017.1182 Words   |  5 PagesTheses were written by Martin Luther in 1517. At the time of writing, Luther had devoted his life to Jesus Christ, and had become a monk. In his Theses, he expressed the idea that someone must be completely willing to commit penance in order for it to be legitimate, and Luther gave several reasons why he was critical of the sale of indulgences. He challenged the authority of the pope and other powerful positions of the church multiple times throughout his writings. Martin Luther’s Ninety-Five Theses