Modern Church History (1517-Present): The Background of the Reformation
2002-10-18
I. An Era of Change
The Reformation did not come without warning.
A. Geographical change
Geographical expansions. New World was discovered. New routes to India by going around Africa. 1522, crew returned after sailing around the world. These things happened around the same time of the Reformation.
B. Political Change
New national states as opposed to one church and state, i.e. HRE. Kings of the nation-states would resent when the popes interfered. The pope was just another ruler, and a foreigner. These supported the Reformation because of this. The rulers also wanted more political power. War would break out because of religious changes.
C. Economic Change
Rise of towns and cities, trade routes, revived trade. Feudal agriculture no longer dominated the economy. New middle class arose or merchants who enjoyed their leadership in society, bourgeoisie. In German, Burghers.
D. Social Change
Social structure in feudal system was challenged, especially concerning the bourgeoisie. These people posed a threat to the nobles, social unrest. Serfs were once bound to the land, but some of them escaped and went into the towns and got jobs. Freedom declared when they were missing for one year and one day.
E. Intellectual Change
Came out of the movement called the Renaissance. New learning acceptable, including the bible, especially in northern Europe. Led people to criticize the popes and the church. People thinking more for themselves.
F. Religious Change
A lot of dissatisfied people that spoke against the church, and its corruption. Diversity of thought and belief split the church apart.
II. Causes of the Reformation
A. Political Causes
People resented the popes making appointments within their lands. Resented the church owning land within their lands. Resented a drainage of tax money to Rome. Resented the church courts trying clergymen who received special treatment.
B. Economic Causes
The resented the clergy exempted from classes. Resented church’s luxuries.
C. Intellectual Causes
Great individualism of the age
D. Moral Causes
Moral corruption within the church. Buying and selling church offices and positions. Buying special favors. Living with mistresses and concubines. Laziness and neglect of church duties. Access to NT writings in vernacular, and in original texts, and saw that church was very different from the NT church.
E. Social Causes
See above. Discontent with being left out of social order.
F. Theological Causes
Scholasticism was basis of the medieval church, especially those as Thomas Aquinas. He made an attempt to reconcile teachings of the church with Aristotle. Not happy with this.
G. The direct causes
Indulgence system. Part of RCC theology. A part of a sacrament called penance. Believed when a person confessed sin to priest, the guilt and eternal punishment for that sin had been removed. The repentant sinner had to do something else. Has to fulfill a temporal satisfaction. This could be done by going to purgatory, or do something on earth. The latter is a temporal satisfaction. I.e. Pilgrimage, to Rome, Jerusalem, or a shrine of a saint. Certain deeds of merit. Prayers. Payment of money to the church. An indulgence was ‘The remission of temporal punishment for sins after forgiveness had been granted’. Obtain indulgences for one’s self, or for the dead. A treasury of merits: that the church had stored up by Christ and the saints that were dispensed by the church. Excess good deeds did more than what was necessary to please God, so they get stored up.
The abuse of indulgences in Germany. Nobleman named Albert of Hohenzollern. He was 24 years old and he already held 2 great church positions. Archbishop and an acting bishop. An archbishop died in the city of Mainz. Albert chosen to fill that position as well, 3 positions. This required a special dispensation (or permission) for him to do this. This would cost considerable money. Albert did have the money. Papal representatives to Albert’s reps, 12,000 ducats for 12 apostles; 7 deadly sins for 7,000 ducats. Negotiations. 10,000 ducats for 10 commandments. Much of this cost cared for by selling indulgences in Saxony. Money, once it went to Rome, Leo X agreed to this arrangement because he wanted to finance St Peters Basilica in Rome. Someone was in charge of collecting indulgences, Johannes Tetzel, Dominican Friar. Evangelist for collecting the indulgences, claimed they gave full repentance of sinners regardless of attitude of believer. The money spent for this depended on how wealthy you were.
Different ideas of reform.
III. Degrees of Reform
A. Lutherans and Anglicans
Rather conservative in their reforms. If the Bible does not forbid, they can keep it. They denied the hierarchy of the church, 7 sacraments
B. Reformed and Presbyterian
Gave up all practices that were not in agreement in the NT, and if it could not be proven in NT, give it up.
C. Anabaptists
Radical reformers. Tried to make a complete break with the church. Tried to create a new church after the NT pattern. Did not ask how much we should keep. Started over. Read the bible and see what it says.