REMEMBER THE MIDDLE AGES
Struggling with obedience to the Church Balancing the power between Church &
state
REMEMBER THE MIDDLE AGES
Lay Investiture, simony Clergy: celibacy, un-educated clergy Matters related to the Papacy
Avignon Papacy & Western Schism; Renaissance Papacy
Indulgences, relics CONCLUSION: We don’t need the Church or the
Sacraments or the Papacy; we only need the Word Return to (what we think is) the ancient Church Protestant response: get rid of the clergy b/c they
only cause problems in the world & in the Church!
Precursors & troublemakers:John Wycliffe
Sacraments celebrated by sinful clergy are invalid, and if it is the pope, he ceases to be the pope – SOUND FAMILIAR?
Religious orders are inevitable hindrances to salvation
Rejected the Real Presence of the Eucharist Sola scriptura - “Bible only”
Holy Mass is NOT Scriptural A minor problem with sequence of REVELATION
Fatalism – things happen because they must happen Throws out free will
Precursors & troublemakers: John Hus
Influenced by Wycliffe Excommunicated twice King of Bohemia supported Hus
who exiled Hus’ Catholic opponents Eventually arrested and burned at
the stake – BAD! Factions within the followers of Hus
developed Descendants of John Hus exist today Some here in Nebraska
Precursors & troublemakers: William of Ockham
William of Ockham – Franciscan (late 13th and early 14th century) Nominalistc theory:
“Ideas cannot correspond to anything in reality.” (philosophy is not consistent with faith)
Whole of our knowledge could be an illusion.
Remember St. Thomas Aquinas The faith is reasonable No conflict between faith and reason
From Ockham to Luther is indeed a long road, ... but it is a road whose trace is unmistakable. – Philip Hughes
Lutheran Revolt:The Indulgence Scandal
Albert von Brandenburg, Archbishop of Mainz, to become a cardinal, borrowed a large sum of money from a wealthy banker. Priest @ 22, Bishop @ 24,
Cardinal @ 27 To repay the loan, Pope Leo X
allowed the Archbishop to collect money in exchange for a certificate of Indulgence.
The bishop had priests preach the indulgence to raise money.
Lutheran Revolt: The Indulgence Scandal
What of the money collected? ½ to the bishop ½ to the construction of
St. Peter’s Basilica (Rome)
Lutheran Revolt: What is an Indulgence?
The remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sin already forgiven.
(You can be forgiven for breaking a window but “sorry” doesn’t fix the broken window)
Lutheran Revolt: Fr. Johann Tetzel
A Dominican priest who “sold” indulgences on behalf of the Archbishop of Mainz (and others) for the right amount of $$$
Problem: no discussion of Confession or conversion
Indulgence sold by Johann Tetzel - 1517
“By the authority of all the saints, and in mercy towards you, I absolve you from all sins and misdeeds and remit all punishments for ten days.”
Lutheran Revolt: Fr. Martin Luther
German Augustinian Friar
Professor, Monk & Priest
Often constipated(was inspired about “faith alone” while on the toilet”)
Very Scrupulous – imagining sin when none exists or grave sin when the matter is not serious.
Lutheran Revolt: KEY DATE IN HISTORY: 10.31.1517
Martin Luther writes the Archbishop a letter including the 95 Theses (complaints)
Wanted the issues discussed & debated The longer his points remained unresolved
the more justified he felt in his position The more radical his ideas become
Lutheran Revolt: Fr. Martin Luther
Luther’s posting of the 95 theses was NOT MEANT to be a separation from the Church
The PRINTING PRESS allowed mass circulation of Luther’s ideas and criticism of Rome
Lutheran Revolt: The Debate Finally Occurs in 1519
Archbishop sends Fr. Johannes Eck to debate Luther Eck was right, but because Luther was unstable he
became radical very quickly By the end Luther will have dismissed
Papal Authority Authority of Church Councils Epistle of St. James
Luther commits himself to: Justification by Faith alone Limitation of free will
By the end his views are HERETICAL
Lutheran Revolt: In the end… Luther settles on 3 basic principles
Sola Fidei: Faith Alone Sola Scriptura: Scripture Alone Sola Gratia: Grace Alone
Lutheran Revolt: Faith Alone
“Faith alone” rejects value of the corporal and spiritual works of mercy as essential to growth in holiness
Catholic response: “Faith by itself, if it has no works, is DEAD”
– James2:17 FAITH REQUIRES WE PUT IT INTO ACTION
“Just as a body without a head is dead so faith without works is dead”
“faith working through love” (Gal5:6)
Lutheran Revolt:Scripture Alone
Sacred Scripture is the sole authority on Faith and Doctrine
BUT… How do you explain who put the Bible
together? What if there is a question of something not
in Scripture?
Lutheran Revolt:Grace Alone
Every good action is a direct result of God’s saving grace It’s beyond human ability to
do good He rejects one’s ability to
freely choose to do good (free will)
Man is a PILE OF DUNG covered by God’s GRACE On the outside it looks pretty
but in the center it’s still full of crap
Lutheran Revolt:The Break with Catholicism
Pope Leo X wrote the letter Exsurge Domine, condemning Martin Luther’s erroneous teachings
Gives Luther two months to recant opinions or face excommunication
Lutheran Revolt:Break with Catholicism
Luther encourages outright rebellion against the Church
Luther’s ideas would spread But they would also go to extremes in
ways that Luther would never agree with
One help to Luther: the princes of Germany (who don’t like the Pope because of the continuing power struggle) supported Luther
Lutheran Revolt:Legislation
1st Diet of Speyer – 1526 Religion of the prince is religion of the
people "every State shall so live, rule, and believe as it
may hope and trust to answer before God and his imperial Majesty."
2nd Diet of Speyer – 1529 Lutherans protested thus receiving the
name “Protestants”
Lutheran Revolt:Term: Reformation
The movement which resulted in the division of Western Christianity into Catholic and Protestant faiths
John Calvin (1509-1564)
Sola Scriptura Rejected the Mass and
the Real Presence of the Eucharist, & all Sacraments
Advocated very simple church services
Believed in Predestination God has destined some for
heaven and others for hell regardless of what actions they’ve done good or bad
Ulrich Zwingli (1484 – 1531)
Catholic priest – failed to live celibacy Studied humanism… Left the Faith and became a
political leader Founder of the Reformation in
Switzerland Denied the importance/necessity
of the Holy Mass & Real Presence of the Most Holy Eucharist
Melted down chalices and monstrances to make coins
Reformation in England
Henry VIII Married to his
brother’s widow
Honored by the Pope as a “defender of the faith” for his book of defense against the Protestants
Reformation in England:King Henry VIII & Anglican Church
1527: Henry wants his marriage
ANNULLED so he could have a wife that would give him a son. All children w/Catherine’s die in infancy He doesn’t want his daughter (who’s
married to King of France) to become queen (b/c then he becomes King of England)
Pope’s representative said NO!
Reformation in England:King Henry VIII & Anglican Church
English Parliament declares that Henry is not responsible to any foreign powers
This makes Henry the head of the Church in England.
This is also a break with the Catholic Church
Reformation in England:Act of Supremacy
All would have to swear an oath affirming their recognition of Henry VIII as head of the Church in England Those that refused were thrown in prison… Those that spoke against it is were
punished by death…
Reformation in England:Act of Supremacy
Bishop John Fisher Bishop of Rochester
The only bishop NOT to take the oath
Beheaded June 22, 1535
Reformation in England:Act of Supremacy
St. Thomas More Chancellor of England Lifelong Friend of King
Henry VIII
Beheaded two weeks after Bishop Fisher on July 6, 1535
“I die the King’s good servant – but God’s first”
Reformation in England:The many wives of Henry VIII
Catherine of Aragon: divorced Anne Boleyn: beheaded Jane Seymour: died Anne of Cleves: divorced Kathryn Howard : beheaded Katherine Parr: outlives Henry…
Reformation in England:Wives and Offspring of Henry VIII
Catherine of Aragon, mother of Mary Tudor (Catholic)
Anne Boleyn, mother of Elizabeth (Protestant)
Jane Seymour, mother of Edward VI (dies at 15)
Succession to the Throne
Edward VI (1547-1553) Extends work of his father Brings in Reform preachers from continental
Europe Mary I (1553-1558)
Tries to restore Catholicism to England Marries Spanish prince For martyring 3 heretical archbishops in Oxford,
she is named “Bloody Mary” Less violent than her father, but not popular
among middle class
Queen Elizabeth I (1558-1503) Last among step-siblings to rule (and longest to rule)
Always the religion of the reigning monarch Bides her time until she takes the throne
Thousands imprisoned for their refusal to give up the faith Has Catholics deemed traitors 189 Catholic priests executed At times, she bargains with Catholics, but in the end
Catholicism is banned from England and her colonies (including the U.S.)
Venerable English College – Rome 44 of her students would be martyred for the faith in England 130 of her students would be imprisoned or exiled 41 of these students have since been canonized or beatified
by the Church.
English Priestly Martyrs
St Ralph Sherwin, 1581 St Luke Kirby, 1582 Bl. John Shert, 1582 St Polydore Plasden, 1591 St Eustace White, 1591 St Robert Southwell S.J., 1595 St Henry Walpole S.J., 1595 St John Almond, 1612 St Henry Morse S.J., 1645 St David Lewis S.J., 1679 St John Wall O.F.M., 1679 Bl. Joseph Lambton, 1592 Bl. William Lacey, 1582 Bl. Thomas Pormort, 1592 Bl. Thomas Cottam, 1582 Bl. John Cornelius S.J., 1594 Bl. William Hart, 1583 Bl. John Ingram, 1594 Bl. George Haydock, 1584 Bl. Edward Thwing, 1594
Bl. Robert Middleton, 1601 Bl. John Munden, 1584 Bl. Robert Watkinson, 1602 Bl. John Lowe, 1586 Bl. Edward Oldcorne, 1606 Bl. Robert Morton, 1588 Bl. Richard Smith, 1612 Bl. Richard Leigh, 1588 Bl. John Thules, 1616 Bl. Edward James, 1588 Bl. John Lockwood, 1642 Bl. Christopher Buxton, 1588 Bl. John Woodcock O.F.M., 1646 Bl. Christopher Bales, 1590 Bl. Anthony Turner S.J., 1679 Bl. Edmund Duke, 1590 Ven. Thomas Tichborne, 1602 Ven. Brian Tansfield S.J., 1643 Ven. Edward Morgan, 1642 Ven. Edward Mico S.J., 1678
Branches of Protestants:
Luther Lutheranism ECLA, Missouri Zwingli Anabaptists Amish, Mennonites Calvin Presbyterianism Anglican Methodists, Episcopalians
IN CONCLUSION
It’s the perfect storm that causes the Reformation throughout Europe Persons on both sides are to blame for what
took place In the end, many people begin to think of
the Church as unimportant, unnecessary, dispensable
Christianity becomes a matter of opinion rather than a matter of truth – this will be disastrous in the centuries that follow…