Parish Commemoration of the Reformation – Slide 1 Title slide 2 – The Reformation Slide 3 – What was the Reformation? The Reformation was the 16th century religious, political, intellectual and cultural upheaval that splintered Catholic Europe, setting in place the structures and beliefs that would define the continent in the modern era. It was launched by people who began a broad religious revival and gradually divided into two separate and hostile movements, later known as the Catholic Reformation and the Protestant Reformation. The Reformation, which began as a reaction to Rome’s perceived failure to address corruption within the Church, quickly developed a religious, political and social dynamism. – Slide 4 What Caused the Reformation? Slide 5 – Causes of the Reformation 1 Over the centuries the church, particularly in the office of the papacy, had become very involved in the political life of Western . The resulting intrigues and political manipulations, combined with the church’s increasing power and wealth, contributed to the weakening of the church as a spiritual force. Abuses such as the sale of (or spiritual privileges) by some of the clergy and other charges of corruption undermined the church’s spiritual authority. These instances must be seen as exceptions, however, as for most people, the church continued to offer spiritual comfort. There is some evidence of anticlericalism, but the church at large enjoyed loyalty as it had before. The political authorities, however, increasingly sought to curtail the public role of the church and thereby triggered tension. Slide 6 – Causes of the Reformation 2 There was a weak Papacy in the late Middle Ages. As the papacy grew in political and financial power in Europe, it was seen by some to have increasingly lost its moral leadership. The popes claimed a spiritual basis for their worldly power and collected revenue in many ways, including selling indulgences, excommunication and bans. Opposition to the pope grew stronger in the fourteenth century, especially in the universities, colleges and schools, and among the rising middle class in the cities. There was no systematic training for priests, and nepotism - the securing of positions for relatives – was not uncommon. 7 - The Reformation ‘restoration, The Reformation (from reformatio, literally renewal’), also referred to as the Protestant Reformation, was a schism from the Roman Catholic Church initiated by Martin Luther and continued by John Calvin, Huldrych Zwingli, and other early Protestant Reformers in 16th century Europe.
Parish Commemoration of the Reformation Slide 1 – Title slide 2 – The Reformation Slide 3 – What was the Reformation? The Reformation was the 16th century religious, political, intellectual and cultural upheaval that splintered Catholic Europe, setting in place the structures and beliefs that would define the continent in the modern era. It was launched by people who began a broad religious revival and gradually divided into two separate and hostile movements, later known as the Catholic Reformation and the Protestant Reformation. The Reformation, which began as a reaction to Rome’s perceived failure to address corruption within the Church, quickly developed a religious, political and social dynamism. Slide 4 – What Caused the Reformation? Slide 5 – Causes of the Reformation 1 Over the centuries the church, particularly in the office of the papacy, had become very involved in the political life of Western . The resulting intrigues and political manipulations, combined with the church’s increasing power and wealth, contributed to the weakening of the church as a spiritual force. Abuses such as the sale of (or spiritual privileges) by some of the clergy and other charges of corruption undermined the church’s spiritual authority. These instances must be seen as exceptions, however, as for most people, the church continued to offer spiritual comfort. There is some evidence of anticlericalism, but the church at large enjoyed loyalty as it had before. The political authorities, however, increasingly sought to curtail the public role of the church and thereby triggered tension. Slide 6 – Causes of the Reformation 2 There was a weak Papacy in the late Middle Ages. As the papacy grew in political and financial power in Europe, it was seen by some to have increasingly lost its moral leadership. The popes claimed a spiritual basis for their worldly power and collected revenue in many ways, including selling indulgences, excommunication and bans. Opposition to the pope grew stronger in the fourteenth century, especially in the universities, colleges and schools, and among the rising middle class in the cities. There was no systematic training for priests, and nepotism - the securing of positions for relatives – was not uncommon. 7 - The Reformation The Reformation (from reformatio, literally ‘restoration, renewal’), also referred to as the Protestant Reformation, was a schism from the Roman Catholic Church initiated by Martin Luther and continued by John Calvin, Huldrych Zwingli, and other early Protestant Reformers in 16th century Europe.