THE REFORMATION: LIVED EXPERIENCES Flashcards
(24 cards)
What is the key takeaway of the reformation: lived experiences?
Most ppl were concerned about salvation now
So, the Reformation had serious political implications because the question of salvation is connected to questions of obedience, good government, and ethical behaviour
Why did people become protestant?
They believed the reformers over the Church
- They had past issues with church
- Protestant = in their language
- Reformers (Luther) keeps dodging the Church (not getting captured and executed) was that god will?
How much does Protestantism spread?
A lot: effects all classes
Church isn’t able to stop it like previous “heretical” movements
Print culture keeps it going
How does the value towards family shift with more people becoming protestant?
Before = if cannot be celibate at least do it in a marriage
In Protestantism = marriage is a good thing
- Parents educate children
- Future career depend on gender and income
How does the role of women change with the changing religion?
abolition of monasteries and convents (no longer official role in church)
- End of celibacy for priests = new job “pastors wife” (come to her with problems)
No monasteries = nowhere to send masterless (no husband, brother, adult son) women
- Running businesses
Female rules support reformers (protestants)
Women’s literacy improved
(Idea proposed: Can men have multiple wives? they did in bible) - ultimately rejected
Who is Katharina von Bora?
Born to minor nobility
-Sent to convent (was nun - hated it)
Luther smuggles her and others out (found them jobs and marriages)
Marries him
She is very convincing / persuasive
- But ‘respects him as superior vessel’
He dies, she’s poor (bounces around kids houses)
Died in extreme poverty
What is the role of the clergy?
Clergy now represent people (used to represent god)
- New job: Leading people in worship and encouraging them in their relationship with God
What is the role of the pastor?
Some congregations have councils of elders to govern the pastor or lead worship on a volunteer basis and get rid of pastors altogether
What did Itinerant preachers do?
They are: Christian evangelist who preaches the basic Christian redemption message
traveling to preach their gospel and build a movement
What was the rich doing in this time (how did they help the cause)?
Some of the most important converts to Protestantism were among the nobility = they have power against the Church
EX: *Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights Albert of Brandenburg-Ansbach
*Convinces his relatives to convert
(family owned a lot of land - so large land % went protestant)
What is happening with the poverty gap?
*Widening gap between rich and poor in the 16th century
*Luther argues that secularizing Church property would raise funds for poor relief
*The Reformation pervaded (become spread throughout all parts of) class categories = individual conscience
What is the political problem of church and state?
An issue between church and state + state and subjects
Who decides which religion the population is
- For populations with catholic rulers and protestant citizens (bring in catholic priest) - try convert back citizens
- Worried about secularization (conversions) (protestant nobility break from chruch) = less land is less money for church
What is the German Peasants War?
peasants in western and southern Germany invoked divine law to demand agrarian rights and freedom from oppression by nobles and landlords. As the uprising spread, some peasant groups organized armies.
What caused the German peasants war?
widening wealth inequality among the peasantry, objection to state power, controversy around religion
What were the demands of the peasants?
Twelve Articles objecting to noble & clerical abuses including:
*The right to elect and depose clergy
*Tithes should be turned over for the public good (taxes?)
*Abolition of serfdom, death taxes, enclosure, etc
What was enclosure?
Common lands where everyone can raise sheep
BUT Enclosure: Nobility close up land and forest
No farming or hunting there anymore
Who are the rebels in the peasant war?
A mix of peasants, unlanded knights, itinerant preachers
Who is winning peasant war?
Broke into a castle and killed bunch of nobility
BUT huge death toll (malnutrition)
What is Luther’s reaction to the peasant war?
opposes the rebellion (strongly)
He gets a bunch of shit for this
What is the Münster Rebellion?
Attempt to establish an Anabaptist theocracy
Had a lot of Anabaptist civilians
Place was ruled by Bishop tho
Bishop goes away - They take overrrrrrr
Start implementing Anabaptist rule (Adult baptism, remove graven images)
Bishop tries to besiege
Matthys (Anabaptist leader) gets vision of bishop being punished by god - goes to check that out
- Executed
Bockelson becomes the leader of the city, institutes polygamy, and takes 16 wives
City eventually falls to besiegers (Bockelson = executed)
- Bones of leaders displayed in cages (cages still there!)
What is the aftermath of the Muster Rebellion?
Anabaptism becomes even more frowned-upon and Anabaptists never get another stab at governance in early modernity
Explain: Print culture in action
How did diff papers cater to diff ppl?
Some prioritized the pictures (for the non literate)
Some prioritized words
What is the counter reformation?
In catholic areas
Council of Trent (1545-63) clarifies Church doctrine, restates the principles of the Church, and condemns the heretics
Reaffirming church goals
Reforms selling indulgences (thing luther hated)
Then Reaffirming the sale of indulgence
There are 7 sacraments
Salvation occurs through the cooperation of the human and God (not “by faith alone”)
How long is the counter reformation? And what were the long term impacts?
Century’s long process
- Massive impact on catholic culture, music, etc
Effort to theologically reset the catholic church
Aspiration: Come out with centralized church!
