PROTESTANT REFORMATION DBQ

Transcription

1 PROTESTANT REFORMATION DBQ Directions: The following question is based on the accompanying documents. (Some of the documents have been edited for the purpose of this exercise.) This question is designed to test your ability to work with and understand historical documents. Write an essay that: Has a relevant thesis and supports that thesis with evidence form the documents. Uses a majority of the documents. Analyzes the documents by grouping them in as many appropriate ways as possible. Does not simply summarize the documents individually. Takes into account both the sources of the documents and the authors' points of view. Question: Which historian, Lortz, Febvre, Huizinga, or Delumeau, has the most valid theory explaining the causes of the Protestant Reformation in 16 th century Europe? Document 1: First, it is our humble desire that in the future we, the peasants, should have the power to choose and appoint the pastor of our own community The pastor we choose should teach us the Gospel pure and simple, without adding any doctrine or ordinance made by men.god teaches us that we should not lead a disorderly life. But He has not commanded us to obey the authorities except as we should obey the word of God we take it for granted that you will release us from serfdom as true Christians, unless it can be shown in the Gospel that we are serfs. The Declaration of the Peasants 1524

2 Document 2: 21. The preachers of indulgences, who say that buying a certificate of indulgence from the pope or his representative frees a man from all punishment are wrong. 27. Those who preach that the soul flies out of Purgatory as soon as the money rattles in the chest preach man s values, not God s. 28. It is certain that when the penny jingles into the money box, gain and avarice can be increased, but the result of the intercession of the church is in the power of God alone. 95 Theses (1517), Martin Luther Document 3: Depicts the use of the printing press, invented by Johannes Gutenburg. Allowed the spread of Reformation literature.

3 Document 4: The trader, the soldier, and the judge think that they can clean up the sins of a lifetime by donating a single ill-gotten coin. They flatter themselves into believing that all sorts of dishonesty, drunkenness evil and treason can be taken care of with a contract in which they pay a particular price to obtain salvation. These various forms of foolishness are so worked into the lives of Christians that even the priests in the Church do not object to them. In fact, they foster these beliefs because they are smart enough to realize what tidy little sums of money come to them because of these follies. Catholic Writer Erasmus In Praise of Folly 1509 Document 5: Let us discard the inhuman philosophy which states that we should use God s gifts for only those things that are necessary in order to live. In the first place, this philosophy deprives us of the lawful enjoyment of the Divine gifts. Secondly, this philosophy turns man into a senseless block. We should, therefore, use goods for pleasure, but we must oppose extravagant use of these goods to satisfy the pleasures of the flesh. Protestant Theologian John Calvin Institutes of the Christian Religion 1536 Document 6:...they are starting a rebellion, and violently robbing and plundering monasteries and castles which are not theirs, by which they have a second time deserved death in body and soul, if only as highwaymen and murderers... For rebellion is not simple murder, but is like a great fire, which attacks and lays waste a whole land... Therefore, let every-one who can, smite, slay and stain, secretly or openly, remembering that nothing can be more pod' venous, hurtful or devilish than a rebel... First, I will not oppose a ruler who, even though he does not tolerate the Gospel, will smite and punish these peasants without offering to submit the case to judgment. For he is within his rights, since the peasants are not contending any longer for the Gospel, but have become faithless, perjured, disobedient, rebellious murderers, robbers and blasphemers, whom even heathen rulers have the right and power to punish; nay, it is their duty to punish them, for it is just for this purpose that they bear the sword, and are "the ministers of God upon him that doeth evil...' Against the Robbing and Murdering Hordes of Peasants (1525), Martin Luther

4 Document 7 The Ship of Fools ( ), Oil painting by Hieronymus Bosch portraying widespread contempt of priests and monks that had concubines and illegitimate offspring. Document 8: "I cannot submit my faith either to the Pope or to the Councils, because it is clear as day they have frequently erred and contradicted each other. Unless therefore, I am convinced by the testimony of Scripture...I cannot and will not retract...here I stand, I can do no other. So help me God, Amen." Martin Luther's reply when summoned to appear before the Emperor at the Diet of Worms to answer for writing his 95 Theses.

5 Document 9: For this reason a prince ought to take care that he never lets anything slip from his lips that is not replete with the above-named five qualities that he may appear to him who sees and hears him altogether merciful, faithful, humane, upright, and religious. There is nothing more necessary to appear to have than this last quality, inasmuch as men judge generally more by the eye than by the hand, because it belongs to everybody to see you, to few to come in touch with you. Every one sees what you appear to be, few really know what you are, and those few dare not oppose themselves to the opinion of the many, who have the majesty of the state to defend them; and in the actions of all men, and especially of princes, which it is not prudent to challenge, one judges by the result. The Prince, Chapter XVIII (1505), by Nicolo Machiavelli Document 10: If anyone says that a man can be justified before God by doing good works without also having the divine grace of Jesus Christ, let him be cursed. In order that Christians may receive the sacraments with greater devotion, priests should first explain the purpose and the use of the sacraments in a way that the congregation can understand, using the native tongue of the people if it is necessary. bishops should understand that they are called to the office of bishop not for riches or luxury, but to the labors and cares for the glory of God. The Council of Trent: The Counter-Reformation Document 11: The number of children learning to read ranged form 8,000-10,000; those learning the abacus and arithmetic, from 1,000-1,200; and those learning grammar and logic from Merchants and artisans.masters in many crafts, were so numerous that some 300 left the city to do business. Florence also had 146 bakeries. Florentine Historian s The Chronicle of Giovanni Villani c

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