In the Protestant Reformation many reformists used different tactics, that evolved the Protestant reformation stand point in society. Martin Luther was one of the many who pioneered the movement and, thus allowing for they’re to be a voice for Protestants. While on the other hand reformist Andreas Bodenstein von Karlstadt followed similar paths as Luther, but he was not as successful. Thesis Statement: The different methods that Luther, Muntzer, and Karlstadt used to approach the Protestant Reformation will be a leading factor, of how well they progress individually on their paths to creating a new interpretation of what the Catholic Church once taught them. In 1040 the printing press was invented, thus allowing reformist to educate people, and question their teachings from the Catholic Church. Martin Luther reflected on his beliefs and questioned the vow he took …show more content…
Through his writings he evolved from a late medieval thinking, to a new model of understanding God, and being human. Towards the end of the Diet of Worms, Luther translated the Bible in eleven weeks while hiding in a castle in Wartburg by Frederick the Wise. Luther translating the Bible into various languages, was a practical way of allowing many who spoke various other languages to have an opportunity to read the Bible. Martins translation was being discuss in debate halls, lecture rooms, and even pulpits, causing quite a stir in Germany. This was one of the first mass mediums of the sixteenth century in Germany that spread pass its lands, it altered people's lives, many embrace it divulging in all its knowledge. Luther altered the culture of Germany, it is said "It helped formally restructure German literature and the German performing arts - Luther's in general, were so awesome that Frederick the Great later called Luther the personification of the German national
Therefore, Luther decided to post 95 Theses, against indulgences and church policies, on October 31, 1517 on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany. So due to the printing press, he was able to spread out his statements all over Germany between two weeks, and in Europe throughout a month. Basically Luther’s movement was the beginning of the Protestant Reformation. The printing press helped Luther expand his writings like sermons, tracts, and polemics. The presses printed hundreds of thousands of writings by Luther.
Plan of Investigation This investigation seeks to identify the qualities and characteristics of Martin Luther, which are truly indicative of The Protestant Reformation in Europe. The body of the investigation describes the significant events in the life of Martin Luther, that impacted the era. The specific characteristics that he exhibited will be identified, examined and analyzed. During the Protestant Reformation society started to question the ideas of the church. Reformers started to expose the church for their acts such as the selling of indulgences, insisting that the Pope had no authority over purgatory and much more.
I. The Protestant Reformation in Europe was a reform movement that occurred during the sixteenth century which divided the Western Christian church into Catholic and Protestant groups. Although the Reformation occurred in the sixteenth century earlier events of the late fourteenth and fifteenth century created the environment for the Reformation to occur. The Reformation was started by Martin Luther, who was a monk and professor who lectured the Bible (Duiker, World History, 421). There were four major factors that lead to The Protestant Reformation in Europe:
Historians argue that there were many causes of the Protestant Reformation, but there was one main issue that instigated its formation. Economically, resentment of the Church’s wealth and taxes influenced the drive for reformation and particularly, other European leaders. In the same respect, the Church’s growing political authority and push for power troubled such leaders. Despite the perceived supreme power of the Church in Europe, the religious affairs and corruption amongst the Church’s leaders were more important causes of the reformation. An increased disdain and mistrust of the Church dominated the opinion of the public and further supported the idea of reformation.
Martin Luther was said to begin the Protestant Reformation after he wrote his “95 Theses.” This book explained Martin’s beliefs that the Bible is the center of religious authority, and that humans can achieve Heaven if through their faith, disregarding the good or bad deeds they have done in the past. The church on the other had, was getting too involved in politics and losing its focus on religion and faith. The combination of political manipulations and the rising of church power and wealth lead to a drastic downfall in the church. This lead to the vulnerability of church leaders and caused them to make poor decisions.
The Protestant Reformation was the 16th century religious, political, social, and economic upheaval which was an attempt to reform the Roman Catholic Church and resulted in the creation of the Protestant church. The Northern Christian Humanists of centuries before believed that the Christian faith had once been a simple religion that had been twisted and distorted through time by the incompetent papal authority. The Reformation completely changed the medieval way of life in Western Europe and introduced the era of modern history. Even though the movement dates from the early 16th century, when Martin Luther first challenged the authority of the church, the conditions had existed for hundreds of years. Religious and intellectual aspects were
One of the major European movement during the sixteenth century was the Protestant Reformation. In the beginning, this movement intended to reform the practices and beliefs of the Catholic Church. Before the age of dissent and division, the church was viewed as the sole vehicle for salvation. However, with all the turmoil within the Catholic Church, the people has lost faith in the church’s ability to lead them into salvation. They have lost sight in its very core.
(Syllabus, 25). These two theses show the fraudulence that was occurring in the church, especially the Pope giving people “a key to heaven” if they were to purchase in indulgence. To sum up, Martin Luther helped spread the Protestant Reformation in order for a better and more fair, religious experience
The Protestant Reformation had a huge impact in all Europe in the sixteen century, but which ones were the factors that lead to it? It is very important to highlight that the European Christianity was falling into a noticeable corruption of its popes and some other high position members. Robbery, and even warriors were among of some factors that took the Cristian Church to a declining path. One of these examples was the Pope Julius II, which one won the nickname “the warrior pope” because he led armies against people. Furthermore, the church was not the only factor promoting this reformation, some other social changes were occurring with the masses in Europe; many of the peasants were being free especially in the western Europe.
The Protestant Reformation began with a movement made by a monk simply to criticize and challenge the actions of the Church. From the disapproval of selling indulgence to the demand of equality, multiple forces have sparked the inception of the Protestant Revolution. Martin Luther’s decision to take public stand against the Church was revolutionary to the society. A movement for religious reforms, known as the Protestant Reformation, was born. Luther’s beliefs were soon adopted by and appealed to every levels of society.
The Protestant and English reformation were both reforms that took place in the 16th century against the Roman Catholic Church. Comparatively these reformations are alike and different in some sense. For example, Two leaders led these reforms and went against the church’s beliefs for different purposes. For personal reasons , King Henry VIII went against the church, whereas Martin Luther knew the church could not offer him salvation amongst other reasons. Before becoming a monk, Martin Luther was once a law student .
It allowed a writer’s works to be mass produced and put into the hands of larger audiences. It was a major factor, of course, in spreading of Bibles and God’s word. It helped to provide Luther’s these debates among a wider range of people. The Protestant Reformation could hardly have happened without it. And Luther was important in establishing print culture, since his books and pamphlets would be in high demand all over Europe for decades.
The Middle Ages were the era of Reformation. The Renaissance, the Protestant Reformation, and the Catholic counter-reformation were all major reform movements that brought about much needed change. However, these three movements strongly disagreed with each other. Why did they disagree? Because they had different perspectives concerning Christianity and the church’s authority.
The invention of the printing press changed many lives such as Martin Luther’s life. Without the invention of the printing press many people would not have been so influential in changing history. Martin Luther’s fame and life was dependent upon the invention of the printing press because without it, his message would not have been so widespread. Without television or social media like we have today, in the 1400’s spreading a message across countries was not easy and often took a long time. By time word got to the other side of a country it could be months if not years old.
He posted the 95 Theses on the door of the church in Wittenberg, Germany in October, 1517 which were the differences Luther found between the Roman Catholic Church and the Bible. His refusal to recant these views led to him being excommunicated. However, since his work had grown beyond his influence, and soon became politically empowered, the revolution that he incepted didn’t end. Many local leaders stepped up and lead the reform, and turned this theological phenomenon into a peasant's’ war that raged its way across Germany. Friends of Luther made copies of the theses on the newly-invented printing press, and they spread across Europe in a matter of months.