The Importance of the Renaissance to the Reformation in Germany

The issue of religion is presumably the most questionable point of the Renaissance period. With the Catholic Church tangled up in discussion over force, corruption, nepotism and the Pope's fathering of illegitimate kids, numerous followers moved in the opposite direction of the Church and embraced another improved rendition of their beliefs. The increase of education additionally influenced the Catholic Church, as professors adapted more they understood that the Church was lecturing just what they supported to the followers. Possibly the most significant religious occasion during the Renaissance history, was the Protestant Reformation, which was established by Martin Luther in Germany. During the Renaissance the Catholic Church built up a profound

Before the printing press, Europeans got their religious information from the Church, as most people were either illiterate or too poor to afford the expensive Bibles. However, the printing press made Bibles accessible to the public. This changed people’s opinions on religion, as they now educated themselves without relying on the Church. Martin Luther, a Catholic priest, was discontent with the Church’s practices, specifically their indulgences, where they accepted payments in return for salvation in the afterlife. Luther outlined his criticisms in the 95 Theses, sparking the Protestant Reformation movement. Luther’s 95 Theses spread throughout Europe, including 300,000 copies published in early 1500s Germany utilizing the printing press, thus introducing the new Protestant religion to more people. Religious reformation is an example of the Renaissance worldview that states “an individual’s dreams and achievements are given new emphasis”. For instance, Luther established the new Protestant religion because his dreams were possible, as people praised individualism. The group mentality was no longer significant, specifically for religion as people began to extend from

In 1510 he visited Rome. In Rome, he was appalled by the behavior of church officials. The church officials came up with this system of selling indulgences. Indulgences were you, or your loved one, would be allowed into heaven for a payment. In Catholic theology, an indulgence is the remission of the physical and temporal punishment for sins that is endured in Purgatory after death, even though the legal guilt has been pardoned by absolution. In Luther’s era, indulgences were being sold by the Church to raise money for refurbishing the Basilica of St. Peter in Rome. The slogan attributed to the Dominican friar Johann Tetzel epitomized the sale of indulgences: "As soon as the coin in the coffer rings, the soul from purgatory springs." (The Life of

A major 16th century movement initially aimed at reforming the beliefs and practices of the Roman Catholic Church, the Reformation was begun by a German monk named Martin Luther who challenge the Catholic Church’s doctrine by posting his 95 Theses on a church door. He did this because he was appalled that the church was selling indulgences, which were written letters that assured people’s salvation, in order to build a new Basilica in Rome under Pope Leo X. Martin Luther argued that the Bible, not the pope, was the central means to discern God’s word and was the only thing capable of giving salvation.

After the defeat of the Roman Empire in 476, western Europe had grown and changed the world. However, the Catholic church was the defining characteristic that had remained very central and important to European culture. The Protestant reformation during the sixteenth century was sparked by Martin Luther, who was a writer from Germany. He believed that churches were abusing power, because at the time, churches would say things like "sins can be forgiven and people can go to heaven after they die if they contributed money or a donation". Luther stated that no one was in a place to give someone a place in heaven besides god and that churches were being greedy, immoral and hypocritical. He took an advantage of the printing press and its fast growing industry to spread these ideas and information from his book 95 Theses to the public of European countries including Italy, Germany, France and Holland. Lutheran philosophy and teachings helped educate the public, and some of the resulting reforming measures included the closure of monasteries, divisions of church and translation of the holy bible from Latin to different European languages (Drame, lecture notes). John Calvin was another important figure who developed Calvinism in 1530 to spread Lutheran philosophy throughout various European countries. In order to control the "damage" Luther had

As a young man Luther struggled with his conscious and finding peace with God. During some very difficult years while living in the monastery he would discover that the more he tried to do for God, the more he became aware of his own sinfulness. However, he would get the opportunity to study the Bible as a professor of Biblical Theology at the University of Wittenberg. It was there, while studying the bible over several years, that he would conclude that there was nothing he could do to obtain Salvation through the rules of monastic life, works of men, or by anything other than the Scriptures alone by Grace through Faith alone. He now understood saving faith based on the promises of God found in the Word of God. The free Grace of God for sinners was the revived message that Luther and the Reformers stressed to anyone who would listen. Luther made it clear that it was a falsehood to believe that only the the pope may interpret scripture, but rather the whole community should be able to interpret scripture. A message that was welcomed and readily accepted by

When we take a look at the background, we understand what it was that Martin Luther was standing up for. According to our textbook, Johann Tetzel was commissioned to sell indulgences in Germany by Pope Leo X, which did not immediately affect Martin Luther, however the prince of each province had the right to allow or deny their sale in his territory (Campbell 306). While these new indulgences for the construction of St. Peter’s Basilica

Martin Luther was a German professor of Theology, a monk, a priest and an extremely influential figure in the Protestant Reformation. Martin Luther was one of the main catalysts of the Protestant Reformation with a theses highlighting the corruption and in the Catholic Church. The Protestant Reformation (also called the ‘Reformation’) was a separation of the Roman Catholic Church in the early 16th century. Martin Luther strongly and publically disputed the claim that freedom from God’s punishment for sin or Purgatory could be purchased with money and openly talked about how corrupt the Catholic Church was. “The path that Luther had chosen would require a commitment and devotion to fasting, hours of prayer, and frequent confessions. His attempt

Many of Martin's thoughts about corruption in the church led to the development of today's popular Protestant doctrines, Sola Scriptura, (by scripture alone) and Sola Fide (by faith alone). He not only believed the scriptures to be our highest authority, but also that we must obtain salvation through faith, not works. Both were direct contradictions to Catholic teaching. Luther said, “A simple layman armed with Scripture is greater than the mightiest pope without it”.

“Question with boldness even the existence, of a God, if there be one he must more than approve of the homage reason than that blinded fear” by Thomas Jefferson. Sometimes as people we just follow on what they told us because the person seem higher than ourselves so we just go along with it assuming it's correct. In this time period, that what was Martin Luther wanted to get rid of because he saw the errors of the Catholic church and he wanted to fix them. As a Result, the Catholic church did not listen, that is where the reformation started. When Martin Luther started the reformation there was a lot of social, economic and political changes because that is how much the church was involved in people's lives. The church was centered in everything

Modern historians have always debated on how we should classify the events of our history; they naturally want to be as authentic and actuate as possible when they rely information to us. However, when it comes to something as complicated and intricate as European history, it becomes troublesome to simply label a part of history without it bearing resemblance to another. As to the concern of the relation between the Protestant Reformation and Renaissance, they both encompass apparent elements of individualism and religious reasoning. In spite of this, both these events can be separately indentified as different based on the change they incited on the whole of Western Civilization and of who was actually effected during their time.

Luther wanted his beliefs to be known and accepted. Luther decided to continue his effort beyond the original 95 Theses. Political cartoons, copies of the 95 Theses, and a collection of other writings helped spread Luther’s beliefs to the common people. Luther had gotten to take advantage of the printing press, allowing his works to be created faster. With works being created faster more people could see his works and become familiar with his beliefs. Discussion was stimulated in universities, whether or not Luther’s views were acceptable. In 1519 Luther moved toward a more official break with the Church. Luther began to emphasize the ideas of faith bringing salvation, the Bible as the authority instead of the Pope, and priests not being

The Lutheran Reformation is particularly associated with the German territories and the pervasive personal influence of one charismatic individual Martin Luther. Luther’s concern was the doctrine of justification, which formed his central point of his religious thoughts. The Lutheran Reformation was initially an academic movement, concerned primarily with reforming the teaching of theology at the University of Wittenberg (McGrath 2007). The Lutheran began in 1822 this happen after Luther’s return to Wittenberg from his enforced isolation in Wartburg. Luther was condemned for “false doctrine” by the Diet of Worms in 1512 (Noll 2000).

“Out of love for the truth and the desire to bring it to light, the following propositions will be discussed at Wittenberg, under the presidency of the Reverend Father Martin Luther, Master of Arts and of Sacred Theology, and Lecturer in Ordinary on the same at that place (Luther).” With these words Luther began the long war against the Catholic Church, that would later become known as the protestant Reformation. It would be one of the largest forces of change that Europe faced. The Reformation would not only change theology, but also spawn wars and colonization.

During the Reformation in Europe, many changes were brought about. Among these changes included people such as Erasmus, Martin Luther, the peasants of Swabia, and King Henry VIII. These people brought about some of the most important changes in European history. Without these individuals Europe would be a completely different country than what it is today.