The Reformation This lesson is historical in nature and therefore the only Bible reference used is the memory verse itself.

Winter 2017 ~ Religious Instruction Lesson #4 The Reformation This lesson is historical in nature and therefore the only Bible reference used is the memory verse itself. Learning Objectives 1. The children will explore the events surrounding the Reformation. 2. The children will identify ways to keep their minds clean and pure in order to remain a faithful Christian. Memory Verse: "Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things." --Colossians 3:2 (NIRV) Getting Started Choose One Activity In a Few Words Activity Give each child a piece a paper and something to write with. Have them answer question #1 below on their paper. Then use the other questions to facilitate the discussion. 1. In four words, describe what you believe about God. 2. How hard was it to put your beliefs into so many few words? 3. It s hard to put what we believe into words sometimes. Do you think it is hard to put your beliefs into actions? In today s lesson, we learn about a few men who did just that, they stood up for their own beliefs, and helped the church to change or reform. A Good Leader Activity 1. What is your life about? Why do you think you were put on the earth? 2. Who are some people in your life who you think are good leaders? 3. What makes a good leader? A lot of people are floating through life, thinking of it kind of like a game. But in reality, we all live a life that is a God-given life and it exists for a reason. Today, we re going to talk about the leaders of the Reformation period, or period of change in the church s history. We will also talk about what it means to be a leader, even in the face of incredible odds. Lesson Message: Stand up for your faith in God. Teacher Background Information: (From God s Ways Volume 3) TEACHER NOTE: The following information is for YOU to read as you prepare for your lesson. This will give you the background information to help you understand and answer questions. This information is NOT to be read word for word or analyzed in detail during class. 1

Refer to the section below entitled: WHAT DO THEY NEED TO KNOW? for the main points the children should understand. Teach the lesson using the Activity section and Real Life Application section. They will guide you as to how to teach the key ideas from this historical information. Remember to try and make it as fun and interesting as possible. Food/Snacks to enjoy during the lesson may help keep your student interest up as well, and you are encouraged to bring them in each week (or have a volunteer do so) as we explore the history of the church. The Roman Catholic Church in the late Middle Ages (from the 12 th to early in the 16 th century) During the late Middle Ages, the call for total church reform arose again and again. The following were especially criticized: - Misdirected religiousness (e.g., terrible fear, the obsession with miracles, superstition, and the veneration of relics and saints. - The papacy s and cardinals wealth, pomp and pageantry; - The noble origin of bishops and eminent clergy; - The hoarding of wealth for the church by the clergy; - The poverty, misery and lack of education of the ordinary clergy. Critics of these conditions were bitterly persecuted. Nevertheless, in several countries in Europe, there were endeavors whose objective was to renew the church according to the fundamentals of the gospel. Each of the reform movements prior to 1500 was restricted to a limited geographical region. However, movements launched by reformers Martin Luther, Ulrich Zwingli and John Calvin in the 16 th century resulted in considerable influence on people s faith life and the church. Some of the forerunners of the Reformation will be dealt with below. Important forerunners of the Reformation: Peter Waldo (12 th century) Peter Waldo was a merchant from Lyon, France. Impressed by the gospel of Jesus Christ, Peter Waldo distributed his goods among the poor. He openly criticized the secularization of the higher clergy, calling for modesty in their lifestyle. Peter Waldo disputed the Pope s authority and rejected confessions. Inspired by his guiding principles, people in southern France, Switzerland and northern Italy gathered together and formed congregations. By commission of the Pope, Peter Waldo s followers, the Waldensians, were vigorously persecuted. The Waldensians renounced oaths and put forward the (false) claim that only a worthy priest could authoritatively dispense the sacraments. Moreover, some of them practiced re-baptism (i.e., baptizing adults again that had already been baptized as children). In the 16 th century, they accepted the teaching of reformer John Calvin. John Wylcliff (1330-1384) The Englishman John Wycliff, a professor of theology, compared his church to the early church. The differences he found prompted him to sharply criticize his church. He advocated a church based exclusively on the Bible, whose clergy were to be examples in following Christ. He disputed the Pope s claim to political power and like the Waldensians the validity of the sacraments dispensed by unworthy clergy. Although Wycliffe s views were very well received among the English people and at the English court, he did not found any congregations. 2

Jan Hus (1370-1415) Wycliffe s writings also became well-known outside of England, particularly in Bohemia, the present-day Czech Republic. There were close ties between the University of Oxford in England and the University of Prague, the capital of Bohemia. Jan Hus, a preacher in Prague, took up Wycliffe s teachings and disseminated them in his homeland of Bohemia. He advocated a life without possessions for the clergy and fought for a renewal of the church. At the Council of Constance (1414-1418), Jan Hus was condemned to death for heresy. A cruel war (1419-1436) flared up against his followers, the Hussites, and various schools of thought developed within the Hussite movement, which fought against each other. Reformation Since the 17 th century, the term has been more narrowly applied to the reform movement launched by Luther and the Swiss reformers. The reformers did not want to found separate churches. Their intention was rather to realign the structures and doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church with the original Christian principles handed down in the New Testament. The breach between Luther and the Roman Catholic Church From an early age, Martin Luther sought an answer to the question as to how he would be able to secure God s grace. As a priest and a monk he intensively searched the Holy Scriptures. From the letter to the Romans he gathered that only through the grace of Christ and faith in him, can the triune God be recognized and the righteousness valid before God achieved. Among other things, this was inconsistent with the Roman Catholic practice of selling indulgences. According to Roman Catholic doctrine, through sin, man not only becomes indebted before God; every sin also results in punishment. Even if the sin has been effaced, penance must still be done. The release from such punishment is referred to as an indulgence. A believer could obtain an indulgence under certain conditions. The indulgence could provide partial or full freedom from the punishment, and could benefit the living or the dead. In the 15 th century the clergy frequently abused indulgences as a source of income. Time and again the faithful were urged to purchase letters of indulgence. On October 13, 1517 in Wittenberg, Martin Luther published his Ninety-Five Theses in order to prompt a discussion among theologians about the conditions in the church and doctrinal theories, such as indulgences, for example. Luther s Theses led to an unexpectedly broad disputation within Germany. The church was shaken to its very foundation. In 1521 Martin Luther was excommunicated and thereby expelled from the fellowship of the faithful. By that time, Luther s theses and writings had already been widely circulated and had attracted a broad following. Several German princes encouraged this development. Subsequently, large regions of Germany adopted the Lutheran confession of faith and seceded from the Roman Catholic Church. This is how the Reformation began in Germany. Consequences of the Reformation The Reformation of Martin Luther and that of other reformers had great consequences in Europe. - Protestant national churches and other Protestant communities came into being as a result of the Reformation. - The entire Bible was translated into German. Also in other countries the Bible was translated into the respective national language. - In Protestant regions, cloisters were abolished. - In the time that followed, the Reformation also caused the Catholic Church to remedy some abuses. 3

The Wittenberg and Geneva Reformations in Europe Martin Luther s teachings foremostly spread into large parts of Germany and Scandinavia. In addition to Martin Luther, the Swiss reformers Ulrich Zwingli (1484-1531) and John Calvin (1509-1564) were significant in carrying out and spreading Reformation. From Geneva, Switzerland, where Calvin was active, Reformation gained momentum and reached France, after Luther s writings had already become known there in Calvin s student days. At the time of Calvin s death, there were 2,000 evangelical congregations in France, although the majority of the French population remained Catholic. From 1562 to 1598, numerous bloody civil wars between Calvinists and Catholics broke out in France and other countries. Many Calvinists had to flee France. They sought a new place to stay in countries which were already Protestant. Nevertheless, the reformers conceptions spread especially from France to the Netherlands, Scotland, England and Poland. In Scotland it was John Knox (1505-1572), one of Calvin s disciples, who drove the Reformation forward as Calvin had intended. It was there that Calvinism had its greatest influence. In later centuries emigrants also spread the reforming teachings into North America and South Africa. The Catholic Church reacted to the spread of Reformation by bitterly defending its traditional positions on the one hand, while on the other also resolving to make certain changes. While the Council of Trent (1545-1563) rejected the practice of selling indulgences, which was carried on at that time, it held to its previous conception of the relationship between faith and works (key word: doctrine of justification). There was no convergence between the Catholic and Protestant positions on this point. - According to the Old Testament, man is righteous before God if he fulfills God s laws. - Martin Luther, above all, referred to the letter to the Romans in which Apostle Paul says that the justification of the sinner is the result of grace alone, for the sake of his faith. - According to the Catholic conception, grace is also in the foreground; however, in addition, the significance of works is emphasized. During the centuries that followed, conflicting doctrinal statements by the Catholics and Protestants again and again were cause for hostilities. Even the Thirty Years War (1618-1648), which affected all of Europe, began as a denominational argument. This terrible war ended with the Peace of Westphalia. Among other things, the right to freely choose one s religious denomination was re-affirmed to the German estates of the Empire, which they had already become entitles to in 1555 with the religious Peace of Augsburg. Individuals had not yet gained the right to freedom of religion, but an important step had been taken toward it. The emergence of additional Christian churches A period of peace and contemplation followed. The intention to lead a godly life in accordance with the gospel was widespread. Christian communities, which strove to live accordingly to the early Christian example, emerged in Protestant areas. These groups set different priorities, which sometimes led to hostile dealings with one another. Consequently, Christianity became increasingly fragmented. A few characteristically Protestant churches are mentioned here. The Anglican Church in England The English King Henry VIIII reigned from 1509 to 1547. He was at loggerheads with the Pope. Among other things, the Pope denied the King permission to divorce his wife. These disputes led to the separation of the English (Catholic) church from Rome. By means of the so-called supremacy acts, the Anglican Church came into being in 1534, in which bishops are active, with the Archbishop of Canterbury being the foremost authority. Its earthly head is the respective English sovereign. 4

The Anglican Church abolished the cloisters which existed in England, and rejected the papacy. Incidentally, it retained many of the rites, rituals and structures of the Catholic Church. Only around 1550 were there Calvinistic types of reforms. Evangelical Lutheran Churches The present-day Lutheran (state) Churches orient themselves largely to Luther s teachings. They acknowledge two sacraments, namely, baptism and communion. Church decisions are made by synods. Evangelical Reformed Churches The present-day Evangelical Reformed Churches can be traced back to German and Swiss reformers (e.g., Melanchthon, Zwingli, and Calvin). The beliefs of the Reformed Churches are above all characterized by Calvinism. Despite many a dissimilarity, the Reformed Churches have common basic characteristics with respect to their doctrine and constitution. The services are conducted in a very simple manner. The sermon is the focal point. Evangelical Reformed Churches also acknowledge two sacraments: baptism and communion. Church decisions are likewise made by synods. What do they need to know?: The Roman Catholic Church in the late Middle Ages was being criticized for things such as: - Misdirected religiousness (e.g., terrible fear, the obsession with miracles, superstition, and the veneration of relics and saints. - The papacy s (pope) and cardinals wealth, pomp and pageantry; - The noble origin of bishops and eminent clergy; - The hoarding of wealth for the church by the clergy; - The poverty, misery and lack of education of the ordinary clergy. Critics of these conditions were bitterly persecuted. Nevertheless, in several countries in Europe, there were endeavors whose objective was to renew the church according to the fundamentals of the gospel. Leaders of the Reformation: 1. Peter Waldo criticized Roman Catholic Church; his followers formed congregations in Southern France, Northern Italy and Switzerland 2. John Wycliff professor of theology; did not like the inconsistencies between the Roman Catholic Church and the early church; did not start any congregations. 3. Jan Hus preacher in Prague; took up Wycliff s teachings and spread them in homeland of Bohemia; was sentenced to death. 4. Martin Luther published his Ninety-Five Theses on 10/13/1517 in order to prompt a discussion among theologians about the conditions in the church and doctrinal theories. His Theses led to an unexpectedly broad disputation within Germany. The church was shaken to its very foundation. In 1521 Martin Luther was excommunicated and thereby expelled from the fellowship of the faithful. By that time, Luther s theses and writings had already been widely circulated and had attracted a broad following. Several German princes encouraged this development. Subsequently, large regions of Germany adopted the Lutheran confession of faith and seceded from the Roman Catholic Church. This is how the Reformation began in Germany. 5. John Calvin and Ulrich Zwingli from Switzerland; also instrumental in spreading and carrying out Reformation. 5

Consequences of the Reformation: - Protestant national churches and other Protestant communities came into being as a result of the Reformation. - The entire Bible was translated into German. Also in other countries the Bible was translated into the respective national language. - In Protestant regions, cloisters were abolished. - In the time that followed, the Reformation also caused the Catholic Church to remedy some abuses. The world woke up from the Middle Ages (aka Dark Ages) in a lot of ways. The New World was being discovered, voices of protest were starting to rise, and the stage was set for the Protestant Reformation. The Reformation Period was about re-forming what the church was through passionate people with strong beliefs. The Reformation "began" on October 31st, 1517. On this day, a guy named Martin Luther posted 95 Thesis, or disputes, that he had with the church. This got people talking and moving towards a reformed church. The reformation was never meant to split the church. Until this time, you basically had one church, the Roman Catholic Church. However, with the Reformation seeking to reform the church, a split did occur. This is why today we have so many different denominations. There were other leaders besides Martin Luther. Because of their influence, many different churches sprung up. For example, from Martin Luther came the Lutherans, from John Calvin, the Calvinist, Presbyterians, Reformed, etc. and from Menno Simmons, the Mennonites. There were lots of other leaders and branches that came to be out of the Reformation. There were Radical Reformers and English Reformers. The Catholic Church held a counter-reformation fighting back against the passionate leaders who sought to change things. When we look at it, one can realize how much the face of the church changed during the reformation period. Application to Real Life The Bible is CLEAR about the importance to give God our minds. Often we think of our service to God in terms of our commitment to church activities, our daily actions, and our daily Bible reading (all are important). However, our minds are what control our decisions, actions, and commitments. Our minds must be pure! Think about the things you have done wrong in your life, that were not pleasing to God. Most of the time, these things are rooted in thoughts we have had for some time. The fact is, each of us has thoughts in our lives that we are not proud of. What do we do about it? Here are four responses to that question. 1. RECOGNIZE IT Isaiah 55:8, 8 "My thoughts are not like your thoughts. And your ways are not like my ways," announces the Lord. 6

Application to Real Life - Continued Psalm 94:11 11 The Lord knows what people think. He knows that their thoughts don't amount to anything. We need to recognize and understand that our thoughts are NOT the thoughts of God. We are sinful people, and we are NOT OK to think some of the things we do. We also must remember that God knows all of our thoughts. We can hide nothing from him. A person once said that character is what you do when no one else is looking. The truth is, someone else is ALWAYS looking. When we recognize that each time we have an impure thought about a person or toward a person that God is hurt, it should help us control our thought lives in a more Spirit-filled way. 2. READ ~ Hebrews 4:12 12 The word of God is living and active. It is sharper than any sword that has two edges. It cuts deep enough to separate soul from spirit. It can separate joints from bones. It judges the thoughts and purposes of the heart. The Bible serves as such an important guide in our Spiritual walk. How do we expect to keep our minds on God if we aren t filling our minds with His Word? 3. PRAY ~ Psalm 26:2 2 Lord, test me. Try me out. Look deep down into my heart and mind. God already knows your thoughts, but if you are serious about wanting to keep your mind pure in Him, ask Him to help keep your mind and thoughts pure. He will help you. 4. FOCUS ~ Philippians 4:8 8 Finally, my brothers and sisters, always think about what is true. Think about what is noble, right and pure. Think about what is lovely and worthy of respect. If anything is excellent or worthy of praise, think about those kinds of things. If you want to be a great soccer player, your coach will tell you that you need to immerse yourself in soccer. You need to play soccer, train for soccer, watch soccer on TV, attend soccer games, sleep with your ball, and have soccer posters on your walls. In much the same way, if we really want to be serious Christians, we have to immerse ourselves in the things of God! Our minds have to be focused on Spiritual things all the time. Questions for discussion: 1. What is your mind filled with? 2. If Jesus were to approach you at school or someplace else tomorrow, what would he say about your thought life? 3. Could he say about you, you are a true Christian, in whom I find nothing false? Look up and read one final verse together: Colossians 3:2 2 Think about things that are in heaven. Don't think about things that are on earth. The challenge for you is to look at your own life and see if there are any areas where you struggle to keep your thought life pure. If there are some areas or even some potential areas, type or write out Colossians 3:2 and post it on that object. Whenever you use that thing, put what goes into your mind through the Colossians 3:2 filter. And remember to pray to God and ask for His help too. 7

Memory Work Suggestions 5 minutes 1. Recite the memory verse. 2. Practice finding the memory verse and/or Bible text in their Bible! 3. Play a game to review an article of faith (toss the bean bag/stuffed animal, the person who catches it says the next word try to go faster and faster). 4. Allow a volunteer (child) to lead the class in an opening/closing prayer. 5. Name the Holy Trinity. Activity Ideas with Discussion Questions Discussion Questions: 1. So, how many denominations can you name? (Baptist, Methodist, Lutheran, Etc.) 2. Do you think denominations are good or bad? Why/why not? 3. Do you think the reformation change was good or bad for the church? Why/why not? 4. How do you think the different denominations should view one another? The leaders of the Reformation had strong beliefs, and they used their hearts, souls, minds, and all their strength to challenge the things they did not think were right within the Roman Catholic Church in order for change to occur. They took action based on their convictions and beliefs. Look up together and read the following verses together in your Bibles and discuss as guided below: Psalm 94:11 11 The Lord knows what people think. He knows that their thoughts don't amount to anything. 1. Which is more important, our thoughts or our actions? Explain. 2. Is God able to hear and understand ALL the thoughts of EVERYONE all at the same time? Matthew 22:37 37 Jesus replied, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Love him with all your mind. 1. How important is our personal thought life to God? 2. Look back at the passage what question is Jesus answering? (He is telling which one is the greatest commandment.) 3. How do you love God with all your mind? Romans 8:5-7 5 Don't live under the control of your sinful nature. If you do, you will think about what your sinful nature wants. Live under the control of the Holy Spirit. If you do, you will think about what the Spirit wants. 6 The way a sinful person thinks leads to death. But the mind controlled by the Spirit brings life and peace. 7 The sinful mind is at war with God. It does not obey God's law. It can't. Paul suggests that our minds are leaning one direction or another. Either they are controlled by our sinful human nature or the Holy Spirit s nature. Verse 6 suggests that our minds will either offer us peace and life, or they will destroy us! It is important to pray each day that we can be guided by the nature of the Holy Spirit in everything we do. In this way, we can use our mind (intellect) to make good choices and take action when needed, according to our beliefs. 8

Journal Reflection Questions - Have you ever seen a problem in your life and had courage to make a change? Write about it. - How do you view the traditions or beliefs of others that don't match your own? Write about it. Homework Ideas - Read at home the lesson titled: The Period of Enlightenment. - Learn the memory verse: Have respect for God and obey His commandments. --Ecclesiastes 12:14 - Work on memorizing Article of Faith #. - What is the meaning of your life? What is your purpose? Think about it before coming to class. 9