ProtestantReformation

"TheProtestantReformationwasamajor16thcenturyEuropeanmovementaimed
initiallyatreformingthebeliefsandpracticesoftheRomanCatholicChurch
(Roman_Catholic_Church).Itsreligiousaspectsweresupplementedbyambitiouspolitical
rulerswhowantedtoextendtheirpowerandcontrolattheexpenseoftheChurch.The
ReformationendedtheunityimposedbymedievalChristianityand,intheeyesofmany
historians,signaledthebeginningofthemodernera.Aweakeningoftheoldorderwas
alreadyunderwayinNorthernEurope,asevidencedbytheemergenceofthrivingnewcities
andadeterminedmiddleclass.
"In1517,inoneofthesignaleventsofwesternhistory,MartinLuther(Martin_Luther),a
GermanAugustinianmonk,posted95theses(95_Theses)onachurchdoorintheuniversity
townofWittenberg.Thatactwascommonacademicpracticeofthedayandservedasan
invitationtodebate.Luther'spropositionschallengedsomeportionsofRomanCatholic
doctrineandanumberofspecificpractices.
"ThemovementquicklygainedadherentsintheGermanstates,theNetherlands,
Scandinavia,ScotlandandportionsofFrance.Supportcamefromsincerereligious
reformers,whileothersmanipulatedthemovementtogaincontrolofvaluablechurch
property.
"ThetermProtestantwasnotinitiallyappliedtothereformers,butlaterwasusedto
describeallgroupsprotestingRomanCatholicorthodoxy."^[1]^
AsthehopeofreformingtheRomanchurchfaded,the"protestants"wereforcedtoseparate
fromRomanCatholicismresultinginLutheranchurches(Lutheran)inGermany,
ScandinaviaandsomeeasternEuropeancountries,theReformedchurches
(Reformed_churches)inSwitzerlandandtheNetherlands,Presbyterianchurches
(Presbyterian)inScotland,andtheAnglicanchurch(Anglicanism)inEngland,andother
diverseelementsallofwhichhaveevolvedintotheProtestantdenominationsoftoday.

PrecursorstotheReformation
JohnWycliffe
JohnWycliffe(John_Wycliffe)(133084)attackedwhathesawascorruptionswithinthe
church,includingthesaleofindulgences,pilgrimages,theexcessivevenerationofsaints,
andthelowmoralandintellectualstandardsofordainedpriests.

Wycliffealsorepudiatedthedoctrineoftransubstantiation(Transubstantiation),heldthat
theBiblewasthesolestandardofChristiandoctrine,andarguedthattheauthorityofthe
PopewasnotgroundedinScripture.SomeofWycliffe'searlyfollowerstranslatedtheBible
intoEnglish,whilelaterfollowers,knownasLollards,heldthattheBiblewasthesole
authorityandthatChristianswerecalledupontointerprettheBibleforthemselves.The
Lollardsalsoarguedagainstclericalcelibacy,transubstantiation,mandatoryoralconfession,
pilgrimages,andindulgences.

JohnHuss
JohnHuss(John_Huss)(13691415)ABohemianpriest,excommunicatedin1410,and
burnedatthestakeforheresyin1415.HisdeathleadtotheHussiteWarsinBohemia.Huss
followedWycliffe'steachingsclosely,translatingWycliffe'sTrialogusintoCzechoslovakian,
andmodelingthefirsttenchaptersofhisownDeEcclesiaafterWycliffe'swritings.He
believedinpredestination,regardedtheBibleastheultimatereligiousauthority,andargued
thatChrist,ratherthananyecclesiasticalofficial,isthetrueheadofthechurch.

ProminentfiguresintheReformation
MartinLuther
MartinLuther(Martin_Luther)(14831546)In1517,nailshis95Theses(95_Theses)
ontoaWittenbergChurchdoor.ThesetheseswereLatinpropositionsopposingthemanner
inwhichindulgences(releasefromthetemporalpenaltiesforsinthroughthepaymentof
money)werebeingsoldinordertoraisemoneyforthebuildingofSaintPeter'sinRome.

HuldreichZwingli
HuldreichZwingli(Huldreich_Zwingli)(14841531)Swisstheologianandleaderofearly
ReformationmovementsinSwitzerland.Vigorouslydenouncesthesaleofindulgencesin
1518.

JohnCalvin
JohnCalvin(John_Calvin)(150964)CalvinwasaFrenchtheologianandreformerwho
fledreligiouspersecutioninFranceandsettledinGenevain1536.Heinstitutedaformof
ChurchgovernmentinGenevawhichhasbecomeknownasthePresbyterian(Presbyterian)
church.Heinsistedonreformsincluding:thecongregationalsingingofthePsalmsaspartof
churchworship,theteachingofacatechismandconfessionoffaithtochildren,andthe
enforcementofastrictmoraldisciplineinthecommunitybythepastorsandmembersof
thechurch.Genevawas,underCalvin,essentiallyatheocracy.

JohnKnox

JohnKnox
JohnKnox(John_Knox)(15131572)AnardentdiscipleofCalvin,Knoxestablished
CalvinisticProtestantismasthenationalreligionofScotland.Heleftapowerfulpolitical
legacywithintheCalvinistorReformedbranchofProtestantism,apoliticallegacyknownas
Presbyterianism(Presbyterian).

HenryVIII
HenryVIII(http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_VIII)(14911547)In1533,Henry
wasexcommunicatedbythepopeformarryingAnneBoleynandhavingthearchbishopof
Canterburysanctionthedivorcefromhisfirstwife,Catherine.In1534,Henryhad
ParliamentpassanactappointingthekingandhissuccessorssupremeheadoftheChurch
ofEngland,thusestablishinganindependentnationalAnglicanchurch.

TheologicalIssuesoftheReformation
ThetheologyoftheReformersdepartedfromtheRomanCatholicChurchprimarilyonthe
basisofthreegreatprinciples:^[2]^
SoleauthorityofScripture,
Justificationbyfaithalone,and
Priesthoodofthebeliever.

SolaScriptura
SolaScriptura(byScripturealone)wasoneofthewatchwordsoftheReformation.This
doctrinemaintainsthatScripture,ascontainedintheBible(Bible),istheonlyauthorityfor
theChristianinmattersoffaith,lifeandconduct.Theteachingsandtraditionsofthechurch
aretobecompletelysubordinatetotheScriptures.RomanCatholicism,ontheotherhand,
holdsScriptureandTraditiontobeofthesameinspiredDepositofFaith.

SolaFide
SolaFide(byfaithalone)wastheotherwatchwordoftheReformation.Thisdoctrine
maintainsthatwearejustifiedbeforeGod(andthussaved)byfaithalone,notbyanything
wedo,notbyanythingthechurchdoesforus,andnotbyfaithplusanythingelse.Itwas
alsorecognizedbytheearlyReformersthatSolaFideisnotrightlyunderstooduntilitis
seenasanchoredinthebroaderprincipleofSolaGratia,bygracealone.Hencethe
ReformerswerecallingthechurchbacktothebasicteachingofScripturewheretheapostle
Paulstatesthatweare"savedbygracethroughfaithandthatnotofourselves,itisthegiftof
God,"Eph.2:8.

Priesthoodofallbelievers

Priesthoodofallbelievers
ThethirdgreatprincipleoftheReformationwasthepriesthoodofallbelievers.The
Scripturesteachthatbelieversarea"holypriesthood,"1Pet.2:5.Allbelieversarepriests
beforeGodthroughourgreathighpriestJesusChrist."ThereisoneGodandonemediator
betweenGodandman,themanChristJesus,"1Tim.2:5.Asbelievers,weallhavedirect
accesstoGodthroughChrist,thereisnonecessityforanearthlymediator.TheRoman
CatholicandEasternOrthodoxconceptofthepriesthoodwasseenashavingnowarrantin
Scripture,viewedasaperversionandmisapplicationoftheOldTestamentAaronicor
LeviticalpriesthoodwhichwasclearlyfulfilledinChristanddoneawaywithbytheNew
Testament(New_Testament).
Asaresultoftheseprinciples,theReformersrejectedtheauthorityofthePope,themeritof
goodworks,indulgences,themediationofMaryandtheSaints,allbutthetwosacraments
(Sacraments)institutedbyChrist(Baptism(Baptism)andtheLord'sSupper
(Lord's_Supper)),thedoctrineoftransubstantiation(Transubstantiation),themass(Mass)
asasacrifice,purgatory(Purgatory),prayersforthedead,confessionstoapriest,theuseof
Latinintheservices,andalltheparaphernaliathatexpressedtheseideas.
EventhoughtheRomanCatholic(Roman_Catholic)andEasternOrthodox
(Eastern_Orthodox)churchesfallwithinOrthodoxy(Orthodox)asmostwoulddefineit,
muchoftheirteachingbeyondthebasictenetsisregardedaserroneousbyconservative
Protestants.Infact,theywouldsaymuchofitisclearlytoberegardedasfalseteaching
whichhaspervertedthegospelofGod'sgraceinJesusChrist.Ingeneral,evangelical
(Evangelicalism)ProtestantsseetheReformationassimplyacallbacktobiblical
Christianity.

Notes
1.TheProtestantReformation(http://www.ushistory.com/pages/h1136.html)atUS
History.com.
2.Eerdmans'HandbooktotheHistoryoftheChristianChurch
(http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0802834507/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?
ie=UTF8&tag=theopedia
20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0802834507),Tim
Dowleyeditor,p.364ff.Seealso,TheNewSchaffHerzogEncyclopediaofReligious
Knowledge
(http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1175218936/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?
ie=UTF8&tag=theopedia
20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1175218936)(1911),s.v.
TheReformation,Vol.IX,p.419.

Resources

Resources
DiarmaidMacCulloch,TheReformation
(http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/014303538X/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?
ie=UTF8&tag=theopedia
20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=014303538X).Strang
Communications,2005.Winnerofthe2004WolfsonPrizeforHistory,andofthe
2004BritishAcademyPrize,aswellasWinneroftheNationalBookCriticsCircle
Award.
JustoGonzales,TheStoryofChristianity:TheReformationtothePresentDay
(http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0061855898/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?
ie=UTF8&tag=theopedia
20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0061855898),vol.2.
SanFrancisco:Harper,2010.
LewisW.Spitz,TheProtestantReformation:MajorDocuments
(http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002SDGLRS/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?
ie=UTF8&tag=theopedia
20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B002SDGLRS).St.
Louis:ConcordiaPublishingHouse,1997.
RobertKolb,ConfessingtheFaith:ReformersDefinetheChurch,15301580
(http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0570045568/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?
ie=UTF8&tag=theopedia
20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0570045568).St.
Louis:ConcordiaPublishing,1991.
WilliamR.Estep,Renaissance&Reformation
(http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0802800505/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?
ie=UTF8&tag=theopedia
20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0802800505).Grand
Rapids:Eerdmans,1986.
DavidBagchi&DavidC.Steinmetz(Editors),TheCambridgeCompanionto
ReformationTheology
(http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0521776627/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?
ie=UTF8&tag=theopedia
20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0521776627).
CambridgeUniversityPress,2004.

Seealso
Reformationtheology(Reformation_theology)

JohnCalvin(John_Calvin)
MartinLuther(Martin_Luther)
Protestantism(Protestantism)
FiveSolas(Five_Solas)
CatholicReformation(Catholic_Reformation)

Externallinks
InternetArchiveofRelatedTextsandDocuments
(http://history.hanover.edu/early/prot.html)
16thCenturyReformationReadingRoom
(http://www.tyndale.ca/seminary/mtsmodular/readingrooms/history/16thcentury):
ExtensiveonlineresourcesArnoldNeufeldtFast,PhD,TyndaleSeminary
AsummaryoftheReformation(http://www.lepg.org/religion.htm)
SelectBibliographyoftheReformation
(http://www.wscal.edu/clark/refbibliography.php),WestminsterSeminaryCalifornia
Introduction:thescopeofReformationtheology
(http://assets.cambridge.org/052177/2249/excerpt/0521772249_excerpt.htm),an
excerptfromtheCambridgeCompaniontoReformationTheology