Protestant Reformation Research Paper

During the 16th century, Protestantism emerged as a new sect of Christianity. This process was not calm or peaceful in the slightest. Protestant leaders like Martin Luther and John Calvin fiercely attacked and denied traditional Catholic beliefs, causing much controversy and debate upon religion. Many regions of Europe as a whole were converted to Protestantism, and many more Protestants emerged in areas where Catholicism remained the state religion. The Catholic faith became less and less appealing to people as the abuses of the clergy were now publicly addressed by reformers and a new, personal approach to religion was offered in Protestantism. In addition, rulers favored Protestantism as a state religion because it meant that no power

The Protestant Reformation forever changed the religious, social, and political aspects of the world. These changes forever altered the world and paved the way for revolutions to

In 1517 Martin Luther started the Protestant Reformation, he gave his 95 thesis to the Roman Church, people began coming to America. The Reformation also helped establish the Constitution of the United States.

The Protestant Reformation was a major 16th century European movement aimed initially at reforming the beliefs and practices of the Roman Catholic Church. The Reformation in western and central Europe officially began in 1517 with Martin Luther and his 95 Theses. This was a debate over the Christian religion. At the time there was a difference in power. Roman Catholicism stands with the Pope as central and appointed by God. Luther’s arguments referred to a direct relationship with God and using the local vernacular to speak to the people. Luther’s arguments remove the absolute power from the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church in general. The revenue from the taxes paid to the Church would be reduced with Luther’s ideas, in part because of

The Protestant Reformation was a pivotal time of European history that occurred during the 16th century. The Protestant Reformation was comprised of people called “reformers” that challenged papal authority and questioned the Catholic Church’s ability to define Christian practice (“The Reformation”). The Protestant Reformation was revolutionary due to the fact that the reformers preached against everything the Catholic Church had been teaching. Some famous reformers are John Calvin and Martin Luther. However, Martin Luther-- to some--- is named the most successful and influential reformer of the 16th century. Martin Luther was tremendously effective and influential due to how resourceful he was, and his teachings spread across Europe swiftly.

The Protestant Reformation made some really big impacts on the settlement of the New World and the Western Hemisphere. One factor that helped push the settlement of the New World was all of the religious conflicts going on at that time. The Reformation was mainly focused on reforming the Catholic Church. Before the Reformation Catholicism was the most widespread and accepted religion in Europe. Martin Luther was a Catholic church that saw the corruption of the church He gained many followers of the Protestant movement simply by posting his 95-theses on the door of a church. In his 95-theses he spoke of how he thought it was wrong that people’s sins could be hidden or bought off of God with money. He believed that everyone should be allowed

The Protestant Reformation was the 16th-century religious, political, intellectual and cultural upheaval that splintered Catholic Europe, setting in place the structures and beliefs that would define the continent in the modern era.

While many are unaware, the Protestant Reformation continues to be impactful in how people in America today view freedom, government, and rights. In general, the Reformation has played a role on the construction of America’s social order and diversity, the day-to-day natural life, and religious freedom. Beginning with the American Constitution, the foundation of Christianity (unversed in any other part of the world), unites religious moral standards with the American way of thinking regarding cultural diversity, equal rights, religious belief, and sexual characteristics.

But in terms of Protestant Reformation, the majority of those that traveled to the Americas were radicals or Puritans. The Puritans were dogged by the Anglican Church. They were tired of landowners controling the Churches. They did not want to submit to High Church (i.e. the Bells and Whistles)which reminded them too much of Catholicism. Being a bit cyclical the Reformation started because of Henry VIII had been a Catholic.

The protestant reformation happened at the moment that it did because the Catholic Church was very a powerful force in Europe. It controlled people lives both spiritually and temporally. The church had so much power that it maintained political control over a large portion of Italy. The fact that the church held so much control over countries and governments became a point of contention among European countries such as the Holy Roman Empire, Italian city-states outside of Rome, England, France and Spain. The power of the rulers of these areas had greatly increased in the 14th century and they were eager to take the chances offered by a Reformation to weaken the grip of the Catholic Church in Europe and also to develop their own powers across the European continent. For quite some time the Catholic Church had been an institution rampant with internal struggles. Such as the Avignon Papacy from 1309 to 1377 when seven popes opted to live in Avignon, France and not reside in Rome which was and is the traditional home of the Papacy. The Pope and other high ranking church officials often lived opulent lifestyles rather than a more austere lifestyle that should befit a spiritual leader. Many church leaders and Popes maintained political powers. They led armies, waged wars and made many political decisions. Church offices were sold, and many Popes and bishops practiced nepotism to fill church offices. With all of these worldly issues for the Pope

The spread of Protestantism was only throughout Europe and did not go to the other continents; America, South America, Asia and Africa. A man named Martin Luther, began the Protestant Reformation because of his want to separate from the Catholic Church, and by using the printing press, got his ideas to most parts of Europe. Princes and leaders did not want to be controlled by the Catholic Church and the Pope, so they joined Luther’s Protestantism. By creating another branch of Christianity did change some people’s worldviews who believed it, but did not affect the whole world. During the Renaissance Era one of the major shifts was becoming more curious and exploring new things, and moved away from religion being a major priority in life.

In the book The Protestant Reformation by Hillerbrand, “The Twelve Articles of the Swabian Peasants” published in 1525, brought many conflicts to the protestant reformation. Many of the peasants were followers of Martin Luther theologian views so they believed that their grievances would be supported and embraced by Luther who later blinded the peasants with the rejection of their grievances. Luther believed that many of their demands were “evangelical” to their character. Luther published his letter,“Friendly Admonition to Peace Concerning the Twelve Articles of the Swabian Peasants in April 1525, which addressed his arguments against their grievances. In this paper, I will discuss what were the twelve grievances of the german peasant and why did Luther who said he believed in a christian freedom, reject the peasants ideas of reformation.

What happens when people start to break away from the entity that bound an entire civilization together for over a thousand years? How does one go from unparalleled devotion to God to the exploration of what man could do? From absolute acceptance to intense scrutiny? Sheeple to independent thinkers? Like all revolutions preceding it, the Protestant Reformation did not happen overnight. Catholics had begun to lose faith in the once infallible Church ever since the Great Schism, when there were two popes, each declaring that the other was the antichrist. Two things in particular can be identified as the final catalyst: a new philosophy and simple disgust. The expanding influence of humanism and the corruption of the Catholic Church

The Protestant Reformation and European expansion have both left political, social and economic impacts throughout history. The Protestant Reformation which was started in the 1500’s, by a Catholic man named Martin Luther caused political instability and fragmented the Holy Roman Empire. It economically caused the church to go bankrupt and socially allowed for the rise of individualism among the people; Luther gave the people of Europe the long needed reason to break free of the church. The Protestant Reformation and the need for new converts lead to the rise of European expansion. European expansion into the west resulted in a political increase of power for Europe, the social increase in slavery, disease and racism, as well as the

The intent of this paper is to evaluate the distinct character and quality of the expressions of the Protestant Reformation. This paper will discuss Lutheran Reformation, The Anabaptist, and The English Puritans as well as the Catholic Reformation also known as the Counter Reformation. It is the hope that after the reader has had the opportunity to view each of the characteristics and the expressions of each of the reformation the reader will have a better understanding of each and will be able to articulate the differences of each.