14: Reforms and Reformations
Reformation: some definitions
A schism in Western (Latin) Christianity that persists to the present; results in the set of divergent traditions often called confessions or denominations
Altar retable, 15th c, defaced during Beeldenstorm (1566). Utrecht Cathedral. Jan van Arkel chapel
- 1517 Luther posts the arguments that earn him excommunication in 1521
- 1648 Treaty of Westphalia ends 30 Years War
- 1688-9 England: Glorious Revolution
Alternative understandings: the era in which
-
- powers of rulers extend into the ability to control the basic religious identities of those in their states (and rulers differ in their preferred identity)
- connections between political legitimacy and religious identity are redefined
1492 onward
Reform in general
- from 11th c onward
- Return to an older standard: the earliest Church
- thus it’s important to know how they understood the historical past
- Changes in society, changes in religion tend to be cast not as change but as reform
Examples circa 1500: institutional church
- Clerical celibacy
- Worship practices; administration
The big questions:
- What is broken?
- How to fix it?
- Who is allowed to decide what is broken, and to do the fixing?
Laity: examples Interior devotion
Catherine of Siena, Petrarch
More New Developments
- Increasing literacy; print
- Humanist movement: translations, genres
- Trends in theology
Trouble spots
Northern Europe, cities
Europe ca 1500
Trouble points:
- sin and salvation: how do they work?
- what is the role of the visible church for the individual Christian?
- exx: nature of sacraments, role of priesthood, etc?
- how should religion and Church relate to political leaders?
First wave: against Rome and central Church bureaucracy
Living in “the Latter Days”
Luther and Lutheranism. Martin Luther (1483-1546)
| Saxony
University of Erfurt (1501-05) Spiritual crisis, joined Augustinians, studied theology 1508 University of Wittenberg, theology professor 1510 trip to Rome Personal theological problem: justification Solution: justification by grace through faith heterodox 1517 Abusive practice comes to public notice: John Tetzel’s indulgence campaign 1519 debate with Johannes Eck 1521 Luther excommunicated; Imperial ban Elector Frederick of Saxony |
 |
A printed indulgence
Luther’s position attracts followers
printing press: pamphlets and broadsides
1524-5 German Peasants’ War: Luther sides with order, not peasants
1530 “Augsburg Confessions”
Philipp Melanchton
sola fide; sola scriptura;
priesthood of all believers
1531 Schmalkaldic League; 1546-7 war
1534 Bible Translation (NT 1522)
(Others: WilliamTyndale New Testament 1526)
1555 Peace of Augsburg Cuius regio eius religio: between Lutherans, Catholics
Marburg Colloquy, 1529 (Luther, Ulrich Zwingli)
Jean Calvin (1509-64)
Institutes of the Christian Religion 1536, last version 1559
England
Henry VIII rules 1509-47
- Marries Catharine of Aragon; desire for heir; daughter Mary
- Anne Boleyn; attempt at divorce fails 1529
- 1533 marriage to Anne Boleyn;
- Act of Succession; Elizabeth born
- 1534 Act of Supremacy
Edward VI (rules 1547-53) succeeds age 9
- Regency
- Book of Common Prayer
(Lady Jane Grey)
Mary (1553-58) return of Catholicism
- Problems Pius IV
- married Phillip II
- Marian exiles; burning of heretics (Foxe: Book of Martyrs)
Elizabeth (1558-1603)
Rome: Reform by Council
Hadrian VI (1522-23)
1527 “Sack of Rome”
Paul III (1534-49)
Julius III (1550-54)
Paul IV (1555-59)
Council of Trent (1545-63)
Council of Trent, painting in the Museo del Palazzo del Buonconsiglio, Trento
1564 Edicts promulgated
1618-48 Thirty Years War