13 Renaissance and Reform

Spread of Renaissance culture across Europe: 16th-17th c

“The Reformation”

Our goals: identify big issues, big changes

“First wave” led by Protestants
Centers: HRE, Swiss towns; ends with Peace of Augsburg, 1556
Goal: reform of “THE CHURCH”

Main groups as they developed despite these goals:

Catholics
Lutherans: followers of Martin Luther
Calvinists: followers of John Calvin
Other city-reform groups (Protestants)
Radical reformers: ex. Mennonites

Martin Luther (1483-1546)

“traditional” N. European intellectual: theologian

personal theological crisis (about sin and forgiveness)

distaste for Rome and central church

actual fight: an abusive funding/indulgence campaign

regional political leaders: duke of Saxony

What political gains for supporting Luther?

taxation, monastic lands, leadership

war in HRE (League of Schmalkald)

Peace signed at Augsburg, 1556: cuius regio, eius religio

Main areas: HRE (parts), Scandinavia

anti-papal pamphlets:

Rhegius, Wie man die falschen Propheten erkennen mag. 1539

Luther-propa

Lutherbible

Luther Bible, 1534

John Calvin (1509-64) and Calvinists

Paris: law, theology; to Geneva

1st ed. Institutes of Christian Religion pub. 1536; 1559

Main areas: Swiss cities; Rhineland to Netherlands; France; England; Scotland; parts of Hungary

Catholics

early reform efforts: slowed by Italian wars

Sack of Rome, 1527

Council called 1542 Trent, met 1545-62 sporadically

first sessions doctrine

later: control over standards, reform of abuses

progress against Protestants

Political advantages to Catholicism: papal treaties; legitimacy

Trent

Religious wars: France through 1590s

succession disputes, some parties and claimants Calvinist

Religious Wars II: Thirty Years War (1618-48)

End of religion-based warfare on continent in this era

England

regional control over Church, headed by King

Immedate cause: divorce

doctrine: both Lutheran, Calvinist influences

Mary and return to Catholicism; Elizabeth restored Protestantism

Religious stability: 1688

Renaissance culture amid religious reform

Intellectual life

Protestants: role of Bible: Sola scriptura

Bibles in vernacular. Programs of translation, biblical scholarship
Literacy programs to max. the number of readers of Bible

Catholics:

new theology schools, also lay education
Trent: “Jerome” vulgate; limits to biblical scholarship

General:

increased interest in political thought
efforts at regional uniformity of religious thought
control of spread of publications
education

Jan Steen, Village School, 1610

Notions of toleration emerge gradually, mainly 17th c+

art and architecture

Lutherans: little effect on visual arts
Calvinists: iconoclasm
Catholics: visuals as aid to worship: rise of baroque

Lyon Calvinist Church

Rome: Gesu

Plantin-Moretus Museum

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