VOCABULARY

Term Definition

Reformation A religious movement against the Roman

Catholic Church to get them to change/reform
their teachings
Ninety-Five Written by Martin Luther; it was a list of
Theses corruptions against the Catholic Church (what
they were doing wrong)
Indulgences The idea that sins could be forgiven by paying
for them or doing good deeds
Excommunicate Getting kicked out of the church (not being
considered a Christian anymore)
Protestant A Christian who protested against the Roman
Catholic Church
ESSENTIAL QUESTION

How was religion affected during

the Renaissance?
The Printing Press
MAKING CONNECTIONS
What invention increased literacy during the
Renaissance?
Printing Press
This was the first book printed on the printing press?
The Bible
Who were famous writers from the Renaissance?
Dante, Shakespeare and Machiavelli
Who believed in a heliocentric universe?
Copernicus
REFORMING THE CATHOLIC
CHURCH
• During the Middle Ages, the
Catholic Church became very
wealthy and corrupt (dishonest)
• During the Renaissance,
Christians protested the corrupt
practices of the Catholic Church,
specifically the selling of
indulgences
o The Catholic Church said that
people could buy an indulgence
and it would take away their sin
(that is NOT what the bible
teaches)
THE REFORMATION
• Martin Luther was a priest in the
Roman Catholic Church
• He believed that the Church needed
to change some of its practices (the
way it worked)
• He posted Ninety-Five Theses (listed
the corruptions of the church) on
the door of the Church of
Wittenberg
o Because of the printing press, copies of
his complaints were easily made
• Luther’s ideas began to spread
throughout Germany and other
parts of Europe
WHAT DID LUTHER TEACH?
• Luther taught that the only way to go to heaven was to
believe in God
o Luther did not believe what the Catholic Church was teaching (remember,
they said that you could buy or work your way into heaven by the good
things you did)
• Luther taught that it was your faith in God, not your good
deeds that got you into heaven
• Luther’s followers became known as Protestants, because
they were protesting against the Church
• Protestants believed that you should not be judged by your
good works, but by your faith/belief in God and that people
should read and interpret the bible for themselves… not just
rely on priests or the Pope
o Gutenberg’s printing press made it possible for people to have their own
copy of the bible and to be able to read it on their own (remember, more
access to reading materials increased literacy)
EXCOMMUNICATION
• The Pope was very unhappy with Luther’s
teachings
• The Pope excommunicated Martin Luther
from the Church because of Luther’s desire to
make changes
o Excommunication is the idea that a person can be
expelled (kicked out) from the church by the Pope
o Catholics believe that if you are excommunicated,
you’re automatically going to go to hell
 PROTESTANTS
• Luther’s teaching and work created a split in
the church that still exists to this day
• This split is known as the Protestant
Reformation and the beginning of Protestant
Christianity
o Many people in the world today belong to
churches that are Protestant, for example:
Baptists, Presbyterians, Methodists, and
Lutherans (named after Martin Luther)
JOHN CALVIN
• John Calvin expanded
Luther’s teachings
• Luther wanted the Catholic
Church to change, but
Calvin was more extreme– he
told people to completely
REJECT the Catholic
Church.

Luther Calvin
Reform the Church Reject Catholicism
THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND
• Henry VIII wanted to divorce
his wife, but the Pope refused
to let him have a divorce
(getting a divorce is not allowed
in Catholicism)
• Henry VIII got rid of the
Catholic Church in England
and started his own church just
so he could legally get a divorce
o The Church of England was the
church he created
• This meant that church and
government were one in
England
VOCABULARY
Term Definition

Predestination The belief that God controls everything, and

knows who will be saved before they are
even born. The teachings of John Calvin, also
known as Calvinism.

Counter The response and reforms of the Roman

Reformation Catholic Church because of the Protestant
Reformation

Council of Trent A meeting that lasted on and off for 20 years.

Its goal was to make changes to the Catholic
Church. It is part of the Counter Reformation.
CHURCH AND STATE

1
Ruled as One
THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND
• Technically England was no longer Catholic, but that doesn’t
mean that everyone agreed with King Henry’s decision!
• Those who refused to support his decision were executed
(killed) or exiled (forced to leave the country)
• Henry VIII’s daughter, Mary, did not support her dad’s
decision
• When she came to power she killed hundreds of members
of the Church of England when she tried to bring Catholicism
back to England (her nickname was “Bloody Mary”)
• Her half sister, Elizabeth, became Queen when Mary died.
She was Protestant and the persecution and murder of
Protestants stopped when Elizabeth came to power.
BLOODY MARY & QUEEN ELIZABETH
 THE REFORMATION

1. What parts of
Europe
remained
Catholic?
2. What parts of
Europe were
Protestant?

N
COUNTER REFORMATION
• When Martin Luther first asked the Catholic Church
to make changes, they didn’t agree
• The Church tried to stop the Reformation through
religious and political pressure
o Religious = Excommunication
o Political = Have kings fight wars to stop the Reformation
• After some time, the Catholic Church realized it
needed to make a change
• Over a 20 year period, Catholic leaders (including the
Pope) met at the Council of Trent to make reforms
(changes)
CHRISTIAN CONFLICT
• Catholics and Protestants were continually at war
with each other as a result of the Protestant
Reformation:
o Thirty Year’s War: 30 years of fighting in
Germany (Catholics vs. Protestants)
o Spanish Inquisition: Spain murdered thousands of
Jewish people, Protestants, and Muslims in its efforts
to remain Catholic
o Bloody Mary: Killed hundreds of Protestants in
England
LET’S REVIEW…
What did the church sell to forgive sins?
Indulgences
Who was the man that wanted to reform the church?
Martin Luther
What did the church do in response to Luther?
They excommunicated him and then started
the Counter Reformation
Which reformer came up with the idea of
Predestination?
John Calvin
 CLOSER PART 5:
PROTESTANT
REFORMATION
How was religion affected during
the Renaissance?