The Protestant Reformation: A Time of Religious Change

Think About: What makes people change their beliefs?

• Power within the Catholic Church

• The role of faith in daily life

• The Crusades

• Church Organization

• Education and learning

• Selling of indulgences (pardons for sins)

• Simony (buying and selling church positions)

• Wealthy lifestyle of church leaders

• Political power struggles

• German monk and professor

• Posted 95 Theses in 1517

• Main ideas:

  • Faith alone leads to salvation

  • The Bible should be available to everyone

  • Challenged the sale of indulgences

• Invented by Johannes Gutenberg

• Made books cheaper and faster to produce

• Helped spread Protestant ideas quickly

• First mass-produced book: The Bible

Changes in Europe

• New Protestant churches formed

• Bible translated into local languages

• Church's political power decreased

• Education became more important

• Work with your group to create a timeline

• Include:

  • 4 key events

• You have 7 minutes to work on the timeline.

• Afterwards, you will share with a group next to you!

• Religious freedom increased

• Education improved

• Local languages became more important

• Political power shifted