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The reformation

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15 views

The reformation

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bhuvi.rathi0531
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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The reformation

 reformation is the name given to the group of religious movements of the


16th century launched by the Christians against the various drawbacks of the
church and the objectionable practices of the clergy men.
 The main target of these movements was the pope, the highest authority in
the church hierarchy.
 these movements created a split in the Christian church between those who
continued to remain loyal to the pope at Rome, and those who broke away
from the church at Rome.
 The former were known as Roman Catholics and the latter as protestants.

Causes of the reformation

1. DISSASATIFACTION WITH THE PRACTICES OF CATHOLIC CHURCH

economic factors
a) the church had vast properties, which gave ample income to the church.
b) 1/10 of the income of a person was given to the church. This was called
TITHE.
c) The clergy collected another sum called the ‘peter’s pence’ from the people
d) issued pardon certificates called indulgences- indulgence’s were letters,
which remitted punishments of the sinners who bought them.
e) Church offices, were given to the highest bidder. This practice came to be
Simony, all these practices annoyed the rulers as well as the common people.

Corruption in the church


a) Moral decay crept into some areas in the functioning of the church.
b) Some of the clergy and lacked proper education.
c) Some lived in luxury and neglected their religious duties.
d) The priest promised salvation and exchange for fees.
e) There were fees for every transaction in life from birth to death.
f) These practices were severely criticized and opposed by the people.
g) Erasmus, a Dutch philosopher and humanist expose them in his book named
in the prayer of Folly and prepared the ground for the reformation.
2. NEW LEARNING
a) the spread of new learning and the spirit of inquiry was developed by
renaissance scholars.
b) Invention of printing press and the printing of the Bible and vernacular
languages brought a new outlook among Laymen.
c) The Renaissance encouraged spirit of inquiry, develop critical attitude, and
broaden the mental outlook of man.
d) Criticized the church practices, rituals, and the lifestyle of some of the clergy
man.
e) New learning like to a secular outlook among people

Martin Luther’s contribution


 Martin Luther German clergyman and professor of theology at university of
Wittenberg openly criticized papacy
 he accused the church for the sale of indulgences
 Luther wrote 95 thesis or statements dealing with the differences between
the beliefs and practices of the church and nail them on the church door at
Wittenberg
 found that some of the clergymen were living a luxurious life. This made a
strong opponent of the church.
 The holy Roman emperor Charles V upon request by the pope, asked Luther
to defend his case before a grand diet held at worms known as a Diet of
Worms, consisting of council of Prince and high dignities.
 The diet order that Luther writings be burnt, and Luther be outlawed, but
Luther had the support of German rulers and so no harm was done to him
Counter reformation
 the reformation movement was against the Roman Catholic Church and
brought about the birth of protestant church.
 In order to restore the credibility of the Catholic Church, a large number of
dedicated Christians, including some popes introduced certain reforms
within the church.
 This movement is known as the counter reformation.
 A church council was convened at Trent.

 The council of Trent:


o the council made a number of changes in the catholic church. It expanded its
doctrine.
o Condemned leading an irresponsible religious life by the clergy.
o The pope was regarded as the head of the Catholic Church and the final
interpreter of the Christian doctrine.
o Seminaries to educate and train priest.
o For the church to charge fees for conducting religious services and advocated
the use of the local language for preaching in the church.

 Society of Jesus:
o as a result of the counter reformation, different religious orders were
founded.
o One of them was the society of Jesus, founded by Ignatius Loyola.

 Saint Francis Xavier:


o Saint Francis Xavier was a follower of Ignatius Loyola.
o He traveled to China and Japan for the propagation of Christianity.
o He came to India and worked till his death.
o His mortal remains are found at the church of bomb Jesus in old Goa.
o The selfless and dedicated service rendered by the Jesuits helped in restoring
the credibility of the Roman catholic church

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