The Protestant Reformation 1517

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The Protestant Reformation1517
Martin Luther The Rebel
One Opportunity.
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Background a loss of confidence

• The Catholic church- THE church in Western Europe
• Black Plague had devastated Europe people
  thought God was punishing them Church couldnt
  stop it
• Indulgences- pay money in order to get into
  heaven.

• The Church was extremely wealthy
• Taxes
• Church officials- many not very concerned with
  spiritual matters
• Pope Leo X was trying to raise money to build a
  big new church in Rome (selling indulgences)

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Pope Leo and his crib
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The Protester

• Martin Luther was a strange person plagued by the
  idea that he could never be good enough for God
  to love
• Became a monk when he was frightened by being
  caught outside during a thunder storm
• Was very worried about his souls salvation
  confessed his sins for hours, fasted, went
  without sleep, trying to make up for sins

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Luthers cell as a monk
Cell sweet Cell
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Luthers Breakthrough

• Developed the idea of justification by faith
• Have faith in God-all that was needed to get to
  heaven
• Luther wanted to share this information with
  everyone
• Thought Pope would agree, but he didnt
• The Pope just wanted for his cathedral in Rome

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The Conflict

• A Catholic agent was in town, selling indulgences
  (get out of Purgatory free cards), giving people
  guilt-trips
• As soon as the coin in the coffer rings, the
  soul from purgatory springs John Tetzels
  selling slogan

Signed by John Tetzel, with whom Luther has his
disagreement
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The 95 Theses

• Luther began seeing the church as corrupt,
  especially in selling indulgences
• Wrote 95 complaints about indulgences and the
  churchs power
• Nailed them to the castle church door in
  Wittenberg, Germany on October 31, 1517 causing a
  debate to begin

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Spread of Luthers Ideas

• Printing press let Luthers ideas spread quickly
  Luther becomes even more radical and gains
  popular support
• Pope condemns Luther
• Luther burns the Popes excommunication in the
  public square

• German princes called Luther to the town of
  Worms, for a diet, or meeting
• Told Luther to take back what hed said
• Luther refuses to take back what he said and is
  forced to go into hiding
• German princes use Reformation as a rallying cry
  to free Germany of Papal interference

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The Results

• People soon take up Luthers ideas, sparking wars
  and religious/political problems all over Europe
• The church in Europe would never reunify it
  would remain split between Catholics and
  Protestants

Luthers protector, Frederick the Wise
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Protestant Reformation Task

• Create a comic strip (at least six slides)
  depicting the stages of the Protestant
  Reformation. Martin Luther is the main character
  and should be included on every slide.
• For each slide, write a short
• explanation (at least two sentences
• each).
• Last, go view the 95 Theses on
• the door. Write one down and
• explain what it means.