2. Background
Before the Protestant Reformation there was
considered to only be one Church, the Catholic
Church
1515 – Pope Leo X gave indulgence for those
who funded the renovation of St. Peter's
Basilica in Rome
Indulgence: an act of kindness or favor that in
return one receives a pardon from temporal
punishments of sin (less suffering in Purgatory)
Problem: Only the rich could afford this indulgence
3. Martin Luther
Born in Germany to
Catholic Parents in
1483
He became a monk
and also a professor
at the University of
Wittenburg in Saxony
October 31, 1517 : 95
Theses
4. Martin Luther
95 Theses
Nailed to the Castle
Church door in
Wittenberg
Listed 95 arguments
up for debate about
Church practices, most
importantly the sale of
indulgences
Luther believed nothing
could be done to save
us on our own accord
5. Martin Luther
Ideas of Luther
Purgatory was a false doctrine
Salvation was through faith alone
The Bible alone should be the final authority for
truth
The only two Sacraments that were valid were
Baptism and the Last Supper because they were
the only two with Scriptural support
The Eucharist wasn't a transformation of the bread
and wine into the body and blood of Christ, rather it
is just Christ who is present through it
Such Ideas were published into books on printing
presses by Luther to get his ideas circling faster
6. Diet of Worms (1521)
As ideas of Luther began to circulate Europe in
his newly published books and pamphlets,
European leaders loyal to the Church and the
pope and clergy called together a council to try
Luther on the grounds of heresy
The pope ordered Luther to renounce his heretical
statements, but Luther refused to comply saying to
do so would go against his better conscience
Luther was forced into hiding by the help of
Fredrick the wise
7. John Calvin
Born in France to
Catholic Parents in
1509
French theologian and
pastor
Calvin began to doubt
his Catholic faith as he
began to read the
writings of Aristotle,
Luther, and Plato
8. John Calvin
Calvin began to write down
his own ideas
Calvin believed Purgatory
was a lie created by the
Catholic Church to instill
fear on the Church during
the Middle Ages
Calvin believed the Old
Testament laws still
applied to Christians
Calvin believed the
Catholic Church was a
destructive path and that a
reformed Christianity
would be the surest path to
heaven
9. John Calvin
1533 – Calvin is forced to flee
Paris, He was threatened by
many rulers of Europe and
Church leaders to be executed
on account of his radical ideas.
1572- St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre
Royal Wedding between
Protestant and Catholic
Huguenot (Calvinist
Frenchmen) attempt the
assassinate French King
Three Days Later: French King
attacks the Huguenots
responsible for the attempt but
the killing spreads on, killing
over 100,000 French men
10. Henry XIII
Born in UK as a
Catholic in 1492
King of England
Asked for an
annulment from his
wife from the pope
due to the fact that his
wife couldn't produce
an heir to the throne
The pope denied his
request
Henry broke away
from the Church
11. Church of England
Henry XIII put it into English
law that the King was the
final authority, not the Pope
Edward VI took over
Henry's throne after his
death in 1547
Edward was a liberal
protestant that kept
extreme measures to keep
Catholicism out of England
Banned Catholic practices
and rituals
Priests were forced to hide
out in Catholic homes in
secret compartments
12. Conclusion
The Protestant Reformation did not do what it
was intended to do, to have a single Church
reform. Rather, the Reformation caused a
schism, a division in the Church.
Today, there are over 30,000 denominations of
Christianity. We are left with one big problem:
Which one is the one Church of Jesus Christ?
The One Catholic Church thats held strong to its
beliefs for about 2000 years
Or any of the other thousand denominations that
determine doctrine by personal interpretation
