THE REFORMATION:

THE REFORMATION: 1500-1648 MARTIN LUTHER AND THE GERMAN REFORMATION I. Biography A. Childhood (Born 10 November 1483) B. University Years C. Early Reformer Days 1. Indulgences Luther railed against the selling of forgiveness 2. Luther s 95 Theses nailed to the Wittenberg Chapel door on 31 October 1517 3. Leo X D. Leo s Four Attempts to Silence Luther 1. Heidelberg Disputation - Augustinian trial to see if Luther was a heretic. He was not. 2. Bribe of Cardinalship How dare the Pope attempt to buy my silence!! 3. Interview with Cardinal Cajetan Luther won debate against the Pope s theologian 4. Debate with John Eck Luther defends his views scripturally but declared heretical E. The Year 1520 1. Exurge Domine the Pope s official pronouncement of Luther as a heretic 2. Three Important Pamphlets calling for a return to Freedom in Christ F. Height of the Reform Years 1. Diet of Worms 1521 Here I stand. May God help me. I can do no other. 2. Kidnapping Incident: Wartburg (May 1521-March 1522) Fredrick rescues Luther 3. Wittenberg again Luther returns and settles the people G. The Year 1525 1. Luther marries Katherine Von Bora 2. Peasant s War Luther loses confidence in the people and they in him 3. Height of Luther s Theological creativity H. Old Luther (1526-1546) 1. First Diet of Speyer 1526 New policy set (religion of prince is religion of region) 2. Second Diet of Speyer 1529 First Protestants protest new Catholic religious law 3. Marburg Colloquy 1529 Debate with Zwingli over meaning of Lord s Supper. Luther says it is Real Presence ( this is my body ) and Zwingli says it is Symbolic Memorial (This do in remembrance) 4. Diet of Augsburg 1530 Melanchthon and Luther write Augsburg Confession 5. Luther dies 1546. Philip Melanchthon carries on German Reformation II. Luther s Theology A. Christianity is personal and relational not just propositional, or doctrinal truth B. Rejects Natural Theology One must experience the cross; not just sunsets and new puppies. C. Salvation is Initial and Forensic (at the moment of faith we are declared acceptable by God; not based upon our own work, but upon Christ s salvific work on the cross) rather than Terminal and Vital (Catholic view, where we do not know until we die whether we have enough accumulated grace to make salvation possible) D. Provides the Foundational Themes for the Reformation 1. Sola Scriptura The authority for salvation, faith, and practice is Scripture alone 2. Sola Gratia Salvation is by Grace 3. Sola Fides Salvation is by grace through faith 1

E. Luther rejected five sacraments but kept two: infant baptism, and the Lord s Supper F. Priesthood of the Believer no need of a mediator between man and God G. The Church: Union of Church and State; Two marks of the true Church (where the Word of God is preached and the sacraments are administered correctly) H. Ethics 1. He was against usury thought that 5-6% interest was high enough 2. He was against the arms race thought weapons to kill human beings of the Devil 3. He did not like lawyers It is almost impossible for lawyers to be saved. It s difficult enough for theologians. 4. He was not a Puritan Because one can go wrong with wine and women is no reason to do away with wine and abolish women. I. Luther is the Father of the Modern German language. He translated his September Bible into a readable, common German form that helped people to read God s Word for themselves. J. Preaching became central to the worship services rather than the Communion ULRICH ZWINGLI AND THE SWISS REFORMATION I. Biography A. Childhood Born 1 January 1484 (53 days after Luther) B. Years at Glarus (1505-1516) Begins Latin school for boys and teaches himself Greek C. Years at Einsiedeln (1516-1518) Pilgrimage center for Mary worship D. Years at Zurich (1519-1531) 1. Zwingli is converted in 1519 during the plague 2. Three methods to reform the Church in Zurich: Preaching every day at the Grossmunster; Teaching the group of young scholars from the New Testament; and Writing pamphlets to help people to understand the biblical view of the church (wrote 67 Theses) II. Reformation in Zurich A. First Disputation January 1523 Zurich City Council approves of Zwingli s reform B. Second Disputation October 1523 City Council condemns image worship and purgatory and agrees to change Real Presence, but cautions Zwingli to proceed slowly on changing the meaning of the Lord s Supper to Symbolic Memorial. Zwingli agreed. Young men become dissatisfied with Zwingli s lack of conviction. C. Third Disputation January 1525 City Council hesitated to affirm Believer s Baptism; so Zwingli backed down and kept Infant Baptism. Young men broke away. III. Old Zwingli (1525-1531) A. Marburg Colloquy 1529 Luther and Zwingli disagree over meaning of Lord Supper. B. Allows reason to prevail over Scripture tends to believe in Universalism toward the end C. Becomes mentally unbalanced and vengeful, particularly against his young students D. Dies in 2 nd Battle of Kappell, 1531; his body desecrated by Catholic army IV. Zwingli s Contributions A. Began the Swiss Reformation that would later become the movement of John Calvin B. Founder of the Reformed Church, even though Calvin s shadow would overcast his own C. Successor is John Oecolampadius ( Lamplight ) and Heinrich Bullinger D. Influenced reform in St. Gall, Bern, and Strassbourg (the latter with Martin Bucer) E. Early advocate of Swiss neutrality and nationalism 2

BIBLICAL ANABAPTISTS AND THE RADICAL REFORMATION I. Definition - Biblical Radical Reformers were those who said, Reformation comes by the preaching of the Gospel and men s free choice. II. Different Groups A. Spiritualists: those who believed their authority came from the direct voice of the Holy Spirit (Thomas Muntzer, Nicholas Storch, Caspar Schwenkfeld); claimed divine or special revelation B. Rationalists: those who believed that Reason was authoritative and that it even corrected Scripture (Juan de Valdez, Fausto Socinus, Polish Brethren) C. Biblical Anabaptists: believed that Scripture, especially the New Testament, was authoritative for faith, practice, and their view of the true church (Swiss Brethren, Moravian Brethren, and Dutch Anabaptists). The prefix, ana- means re- or again; so the Anabaptists were those who had been baptized as infants as Catholics and then re-baptized when they became believers. D. Confusion abounded when umbrella term Anabaptist of Radicals used for all of these III. Beginnings of Biblical Anabaptist movement 1523-1533 A. Zwingli s young scholars break away over the issue of believer s baptism B. Met at Felix Mantz s house on 21 January 1525 to have believer s baptismal service C. Constitute new church based upon obedience to Christ alone; sign is believer s baptism D. Movement spreads rapidly always underground; penalty for rebaptism is death IV. Important Anabaptist Leaders A. Conrad Grebel B. Felix Mantz C. Hans Denck D. George Blaurock E. Michael and Margaretha Sattler F. Jakob Hutter G. Balthazar Hubmaier H. Menno Simons V. Three Centers of Anabaptist Life Grow Despite Much Harsh Opposition A. Switzerland Swiss Brethren B. Moravia Moravian Brethren C. Netherlands Dutch Waterlander Mennonites VI. Anabaptist Theology A. Scripture alone is authoritative for faith and practice B. Christianity is Discipleship total surrendered-ness - gelassenheit C. Two ordinances Believer s Baptism and Lord s Supper (Symbolic Memorial) D. Doctrine of the True Church ecclesia ( called-out ones ); voluntary; supported and elected their own pastors; church comprised of believer s only, followers of Christ E. Originators of Free Church movement; Separation of Church and State F. First to practice church discipline 3

JOHN CALVIN AND THE GENEVAN REFORMATION I. Biography A. Early years and family Born 10 July 1509 B. School days very quiet, reflective C. Salvation in Paris in 1530 II. Calvin in Geneva 1536-1538 A. Calvin meets Farel and is persuaded to help with the reform in Geneva B. First edition of Institutes of the Christian Religion is published in Latin B. Catechism is written, which magistrates endorse and enforce C. Popularity declines with rigidity and Calvin banished in 1538 III. Calvin in Strassbourg 1538-1541 A. Calvin pastors a 500-member refugee church; practices law on the side B. Marries Idelette de Burre (widow of Anabaptist preacher); have 2 sons and daughter C. Publishes Commentary on Romans; greatly enlarged edition of Institutes D. Interacts with Geneva; saves the day with his Reply to Cardinal Sadoleto IV. Geneva Again 1541-1553 A. Sets up Theocracy; publishes French edition of Institutes B. Organizes Consistory three councils to enact church laws C. Michael Servetus incident D. Total collapse of Libertines by 1555 V. Years of Triumph 1555-1564 A. Organizes Academy B. Pulpit focus is the redemption of Christ and obedience to Him C. Publishes commentaries D. Becomes highly influential with all of Europe, England, and Scotland E. Revises Institutes; 8 th edition is published in 1559 F. Actively supports Huguenots and other refugees VI. Written Works A. Institutes is magnum opus B. Commentaries on entire Bible except Revelation C. Tracts and pamphlets VII. Contributions A. Revitalized the Reformed Church (most widespread tradition) B. Presbyterians direct descendents; also Congregationalists, and some Episcopalians and Baptists and non-denominationalists VIII. Calvin s Theology A. God is sovereign B. Doctrine of the Church primarily Old Testament model with infant baptism parallel to OT circumcision; hence, Covenental Church Model with three marks of true church (preaching of the Gospel, sacraments correctly administered, church discipline) C. System of Church governance is Presbyterian form elders and pastor make decisions 4

D. View of Sacraments infants baptized to enter community of faith like OT Covenant Lord s Supper Calvin believed in Spiritual Presence (God speaks in a special way through preaching, the reading of Scripture, and the Lord s Supper). E. View of Salvation under the umbrella of the Sovereignty of God A. Mankind is so perverted by sin that he cannot save himself ; his will is powerless B. God chooses in His mercy to save some; we cannot do anything to make Him choose us; there are no conditions on His choosing whom He pleases C. Because God is the one who chooses, the salvific work of Christ on the cross is effectual only for those whom God has chosen. The atonement is limited. D. The chosen ones cannot resist this grace-gift of God; their will is not free E. The chosen ones will persevere (endure) unto their election/salvation F. Beza codified Calvinism into a more rigid system than did Calvin. At Council of Dort, between 13 November 1618 and 9 May 1619, the pro-calvinists answered in debate the 5 tenets laid out by the Remonstrants (followers of Arminius). The result was that the Council favored Calvinism and said that God decreed the doctrine of election after the Fall of Adam and Eve (infralapsarianism), not before the Fall (supralapsarianism). CRANMER, RIDLEY, LATTIMER (and HENRY VIII) AND THE ENGLISH REFORMATION I. Henry VIII (1491-1547) (reigned 1509-47) A. England is Roman Catholic B. Married Catherine of Aragon (his brother s wife) upon his death in 1509; becomes king C. Declared Defender of the Faith by Pope for his early treatise against Luther in 1521 D. After several years of no male heir (although Mary Tudor is born in 1516), Henry tries to divorce Catherine to marry Anne Boleyn. Rome stalls and renders no decision. Henry marries Anne in 1533; daughter Elizabeth is born same year. E. Henry separates England from Rome in 1534 with Act of Supremacy. England is still Catholic, but now English Catholic and no longer sending money or fealty to Rome. Henry is Head of the Church. Cromwell is strategist behind the English Reformation. F. Henry marries Jane Seymour (1536), mother of Edward VI (born in 1537); Anne of Cleaves (January 1540) over whose ugliness Cromwell is beheaded; Catherine Howard (August 1540); and Catherine Parr (1544). Divorced, beheaded, died; divorced, beheaded, survived. Powerful families line up behind the three heirs. II. Edward VI (1537-1553) (reigned 1547-53) A. Edward is single male heir; becomes king at 9 years old with Seymour family as regents. B. England becomes more Protestant during his reign. Cranmer s Book of Common Prayer first published and Great Bibles placed in all Protestant churches in 1547. C. Edward sickly child and dies at age 15. Scramble for the throne and Catholics rise to flex power and force Mary s rights with aid of European Catholics and Mary s network. III. Mary Tudor (1516-1558) (reigned 1553-1558) A. Daughter of Catherine of Aragon and staunch Catholic B. Calls on all Catholics to restore England to true faith. Returns England to Rome, repeals all Protestant laws, restores heresy laws, and marries herself to Philip II of Spain in 1554. He returns to Spain with English treasury and people despise Mary C. Mary executes 300 heretics, (200 of them Anabaptists); earns the name Bloody Mary. D. Cranmer, Ridley, Lattimer burned at the stake in Oxford; Calais falls to the French 5

E. Mary dies in 1558 childless and bitter. English people dance in the streets IV. Elizabeth Tudor (1533-1603) (reigned 1558-1603) The Virgin Queen Last of the Tudors A. Takes the throne at 25; beautiful, winsome, politically savvy; brings hope to her land B. Strikes a compromise between Protestants and Catholics with her Elizabethan Settlement, or via media (middle way). The new Church of England (COE) is Catholic on the outside but Protestant in most of its doctrines. She becomes Head of Church. C. Reissues Book of Common Prayer with offenses against the Catholics removed D. Elizabeth is excommunicated by Pope Pius in 1570 for not bending her knee; Catholics begin uprisings in her realm, particularly along Cornwall coast E. Philip II of Spain (the late Mary s husband) tries to invade England; Elizabeth defeats Spanish Armada with stout English oak ships F. Executes her cousin, Mary Queen of Scots for attempted overthrow (rallying point for Scotland and Catholics). G. During end of her reign, two groups emerged: 1. Puritans said COE was true church, but needed to be purified. 2. Separatists said COE was NOT the true church and true Christians must separate from it H. On her deathbed, Elizabeth designates Mary, Queen of Scotland s son to be king of England and combines the countries under James I (VI Scotland). Tudor line is ended and Stuarts begin. 6