What were the causes and effects of the Protestant Reformation and

the Catholic Counter-Reformation?

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Causes of the Reformation

• Indulgences / Church Corruption

Causes of the Reformation

• Indulgences / Church Corruption

• The Commercial Revolution and “Humanist” Beliefs - the idea that God wants you to be great on earth as well as heaven.

Religious affiliation, Germany.

1648

Hanseatic League cities:

the commercial

center of northern Europe

Causes of the Reformation

• Indulgences / Church Corruption

• Humanism and the Commercial Revolution– Only faith matters; no one judges you on your

“deeds”– Individual should speak directly to God – not

through a priest

Causes of the Reformation

• Indulgences / Church Corruption

• Humanism and the Commercial Revolution

• Increased Literacy and the Printing Press– People can read Luther’s critiques– People can read the Bible for themselves– Luther translates the Bible from Latin to

German

Causes of the Reformation

• Indulgences / Church Corruption

• Humanism and the Commercial Revolution

• Increased Literacy and the Printing Press

• Increasing Power of Kings and Princes - willingness to challenge the Pope’s authority

Holy Roman

Emperor Charles

V’s empire

Germanic States on eve

of the Reformation

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are needed to see this picture.

Germanic Princes vs. the Holy Roman

Emperor: a struggle for power

Why would German princes support and shelter Luther?

• Shows independence from Holy Roman Emperor

• Eliminate payments to the Pope

• Confiscate wealth of Catholic Church – monasteries, etc.

• Eliminate rival authority – bishops and archbishops

Why did German peasantry think this was an excuse to revolt

against the nobility?

• If the Pope’s authority can be called into question, why not the feudal lord’s?

• Bible seems to support them in many places – “the meek shall inherit the earth”

• What do peasants want? LAND.

Why does Luther condemn the revolt and back authority?

• Needs support of princes

• Luther: Nothing that happens on this earth truly matters - accept your suffering here

“Godly rulers must be obeyed in all things and even ungodly ones should never be actively resisted since tyranny is not to be resisted but endured…. Nothing can be more poisonous than a man in rebellion.”

Case Study: How did the English Reformation increase the power

of the State?

• Why did Henry need a new wife?

– Looking for a male heir

• Why didn’t he just get divorced?

• Why didn’t he get an Annulment from the Pope?

Charles V was the nephew of Henry’s wife, Catherine

Rome

Henry VIII’s Limited Reformation

• Divorces Catherine; marries Anne Boleyn, then 4 others - gets his male heir

• Anglicanism = Catholicism without the Pope

– Anglican Archbishop appointed by the King

• Confiscates Church lands – gives some to his supporters - why?

• No more $$$ to Pope, Rome

How did the Catholic Church respond to the Protestant Reformation? Rebranding

Try to find new stars

Better training and schooling of priests

Make a better product

Moral reform – end indulgences, crack down on bad priests

More advertising Society of Jesus – Jesuits; missionaries, evangelicals to spread the Catholic faith

Price wars Holy Inquisition, Wars of Religion, Thirty Years War, censorship

Don’t give up on best brand if it is still the biggest in market

Keeps all basic ideas of Catholicism including “good works”, Pope’s authority

Concessions to big retailers to carry only your brand

Allows kings of France and Spain to make major church appointments, end payments to Rome

How did the Catholic Church respond to the Protestant Reformation? Rebranding

Try to find new stars Better training and schooling of priests

Make a better product Moral reform – end indulgences, crack down on bad priests

More advertising Society of Jesus – Jesuits; missionaries, evangelicals to spread the Catholic faith

Price wars Holy Inquisition, Wars of Religion, Thirty Years War, censorship

Don’t give up on best brand if it is still the biggest in market

Keeps all basic ideas of Catholicism including “good works”, Pope’s authority - one faith, one answer

Concessions to big retailers to carry only your brand

Pope allows kings of France and Spain to make major church appointments, end $$$ to Rome

Effects of the Reformations

• Kings grow more powerful – each king or prince chooses the religion of his state

• Most absolutist kings align w/ Catholicism in return for support of the Church

• North - Protestant vs. South- Catholicism split of Europe

Religious affiliation in Europe, 1600