THE BEGINNING OF MODERN AGE IN EUROPE

(THE REFORMATION)

By : Taher Kamari

INTRODUCTION

The Reformation is the name given to a group of religious

movements of the 16th Century launched by the Christians

against the various drawbacks of the Church.

The main target of these movements was the Pope.

This caused a split in the Christian Church into two

groups

Catholics who remained loyal to the Pope

The protestants who broke away from the Church.

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ECONOMIC FACTORS

Church had vast properties

People paid tithe.

The clergy also collected another sum called ‘Peter’s Pence’ from the

people .

Pope Leo X wanted to build the St. Peter’s Church

So he issued indulgences(letters remitted punishments of sinners who

bought them)who gave money to build the church

Finally Church offices were given to the highest bidder .This practice

came to be known as simony

All these practices annoyed the rulers and the common people

Rulers’ Resentment

1. The Pope unnecessarily interfered in the political

affairs of the kings and this was opposed by

them.

2. In the 13th Century, the rulers of Europe

quarreled with the Popes for taxing the church

property as a royal right.

3. This resulted in the defeat of the church.

4. The French King, Phillip IV had forced Pope

Clement V to leave his headquarters at Rome and

stay in Avignon in France because of interference

of the Pope in the political affairs of the king.

5. Similarly, King Henry VIII of England got the

church lands and in 1536 passed an Act for the

dissolution of monasteries.

CORRUPTION IN CHURCHES

CORRUPTION IN CHURCHES

In the beginning clergies led an exemplary life and

had a great respect in the society .

But with time, moral decay crept into some areas in

the functioning of the church.

Some clergymen lacked proper education and some

lived in luxury and neglected religious duties.

The priests promised salvation in exchange for fees

and they could pronounce a marriage lawful or

unlawful.

CONTINUED

They in fact were collecting fees for every

transaction in life from birth to death .

These practices were strongly opposed by people

and Erasmus exposed them in his book named ‘In

prayer of folly’ and prepared the ground for the

reformation movement.

I M M E D I A T E C A U S E S A N D M O V E M E N T A G A I N S T C H U R C H E S

•The Anti-Church movements begin in Europe in the middle ages .•These movements were directed their attacks based on the wrong doings of the church.•John Wycliffe, an English priest and Oxford scholar, criticized the worldliness of the Church and some of its practices.•He laid emphasis on the Bible as the sole guide for salvation.•The Church ordered his expulsion from Oxford University where he was teaching . This created dissatisfaction among the scholars.

IMMEDIATE CAUSEBefore the open breach with Rome, there had been some cases

of protest against the power of the pope.

These minor revolts were crushed with a heavy hand. So the

reformers met with failure.

The challenge was later accepted by a German priest ,

He raised a strong voice and launched a movement against the

abuses in the Church and the authority of the pope.

This the Immediate cause of the Reformation.

Martin luther

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