​The Pope and high ranking church officials were becoming increasingly involved in politics.

Priests were poorly trained

Church leaders rose to power because of their wealth or influence rather than their morals

They also imposed heavy taxes on church members.

Church Corruption

​Martin Luther was a German Monk who became increasingly concerned with corruption happening in the Catholic Church.

He thought Church leaders were more concerned with secular issues than saving people's souls.

Martin Luther

Take a moment and write this definition in your notes:

Martin Luther

German Monk who protested the Catholic Church by hanging 95 Theses on a church door

​In 1517 Luther wrote a list of 95 theses, or statements of his beliefs, about religion. In this document he criticized the church's sale of indulgences.

(Indulgences were a forgiveness that could be bought.)

Martin Luther nailed this document on a church door in Wittenberg.

95 Theses

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IATyzSAjC1w

1:15 - 2:20

Martin Luther hanging the 95 Theses


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiOrprKZ3NA

Take a moment to write this definition in your notes:

​95 Theses

Martin Luther's statements of belief about religion

Because of the printing press, the 95 Theses were translated and quickly spread across Europe

​The Church saw it as an attack against them and the Pope excommunicated Luther.

However, many people hailed Luther as a hero for standing up against the corruption happening in the church

Impact of the 95 Theses

People inspired by Martin Luther and his vision of Christianity called themselves Protestants.

This movement started to grow across Europe as an alternative to the Catholic Church

​

Protestantism Grows

John Calvin studied to be a priest for the Roman Catholic Church but eventually declared himself a protestant.

He became one of the most influential leaders in the Protestant Reformation because of his book Institutes of Christian Religion, which set out the basic beliefs for Protestants.

​John Calvin

​The differences between Catholics and Protestants began to grow. Catholics believe the Pope is the final authority on matters of faith. Protestants believed god's word as expressed in the Bible was the final authority.

Catholics v. Protestants

​King Henry was Catholic but it was illegal for him to divorce his wife. So he took the Church away from the Pope and took over control of the Church himself and called it the Church of England

Reformation in England