• 3/24 Focus3/24 Focus:– Criticisms of the Catholic Church led to

a religious movement called the Protestant Reformation and brought changes in religion and politics across Europe.

• Important Terms: Important Terms: – Indulgences

• Do Now:Do Now:–Which renaissance movement called

for a focus on worldly subjects rather than religious one?

The Protestant The Protestant ReformationReformation

• A period when some Europeans broke away from the Catholic Church– Formed new

Christian churches and ways of practicing Christianity

Causes of the Causes of the ReformationReformation

• Humanist ideas developed during the renaissance led some people to question Church authority – Some began to

question abuses of power in the Church

– Called for reforms to the church

Causes of the Causes of the ReformationReformation

• Some people believed that Church leaders were acting like kings and had become corrupt– More concerned with power

and wealth – Popes spent large amount

of money on their own pleasure and on fighting wars

– Pope Alexander VI admitted that he had several children

•

•

Causes of the Causes of the ReformationReformation

• Church needed to raise money to beautify churches and pay artists during the renaissance– Raised fees for

weddings and baptisms

– Sold indulgences • A pardon for sins

committed during a persons lifetime

• Gained you instant access to heaven

•

Martin LutherMartin Luther

• German monk who was angered by the sale of indulgences

• Posted the 95 Theses on the door of a church in Wittenberg, Germany in 1517– arguments against the

sale of indulgences

Martin LutherMartin Luther’’s s TeachingsTeachings

• People could only get to heaven through faith in God – Pope could not grant pardons

for sins• The Bible was the only

source of religious truth • All people with faith were

equal– Priests were not special– Priests could marry

• Bible and church mass did not need to be in Latin– Could be done in any

language

Response to LutherResponse to Luther’’s s TeachingsTeachings

• The printing press led to that rapid spread of Luther’s ideas through northern Europe

Response to LutherResponse to Luther’’s s TeachingsTeachings

• Rulers and merchants who were unhappy with the Church for political and economic reasons were attracted to his teachings– German princes protected Luther

• Poor Peasants had been offended by the sale of indulgences and wealthy lifestyle of clergy

Response to LutherResponse to Luther’’s s TeachingsTeachings

• Pope Leo X excommunicated Luther in 1520 after Luther refused to recant his statements– Realized that Luther had

become a threat• Holy Roman Emperor

declared him an outlaw

ProtestantsProtestants• Luther’s ideas

led to a split in the Church – Protestants

• People who supported Luther’s protests

ClosureClosure

• What was the Catholic Church doing that led Martin Luther to post his 95 Theses on the Church door in Wittenberg?

• What impact did the printing press have on the Protestant Reformation?

The Peace of AugsburgThe Peace of Augsburg

• Allowed German princes to determine if their territory would become Protestant or Catholic– Lutheran religion

became the dominant religion in northern Germany