Dr. Vess's World Civilization Virtual Library

The Reformation: England, Calvin, and Zwingli

objectives:

Be able to discuss the impact of the Peace of Augsburg on the German principalities.
Be able to discuss the main theological ideas of Calvin. How did he differ from Luther?
Be able to discuss the impact of Calvinism on the economy and on the Americas. What is the Weber thesis?
Be able to explain how a Calvinist community was governed. What was Calvin's idea of the relationship between church and state?
Be able to explain the views of Henry VIII when Luther began writing in 1520.
Be able to trace how Henry VIII's views on the Reformation changed when he sought a divorce from Catherine of Aragon.
Be able to discuss the events which led Henry VIII to break from the Catholic Church. What were the major state acts passed?
Be able to discuss the ways in which the English (Anglican) church differed (if at all) from the Catholic church BEFORE Elizabeth the Great. How did these differences and similarities change AFTER the reign of Elizabeth?
Be able to discuss the Counter Reformation. Who were the leading figures?
Be able to list and discuss the main statements issued by the Council of Trent.
Be able to discuss the affect of the council on the relations between Protestants and Catholics and how Vatican II addressed these issues.
Be able to discuss the event in world history which signaled the triumph of the Protestant forces over those of the Counter Reformation.
Be able to discuss the Wars of Religion and the issues which led to them. Briefly discuss the impact of the Thirty Years' War on the Holy Roman Empire and the important provisions of the Treaty of Westphalia.
Be able to discuss how did the Wars of Religion affected France. What were the important documents which responded to the demands of Protestants in France?
Finally, be able to explain how the Reformation caused the political and spiritual breakdown of Christendom.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT:
The Century following the outbreak of the Reformation was one of the most violent ones in world history. By 1648, fully 30% of Germany's population had perished on the battlefield. The Holy Roman Empire, once the most powerful political force on the continent, was reduced to shambles, deeply divided by religion and with an emperor whose power was merely symbolic. Christendom had finally collapsed, to be replaced by the nation state.
Famous Quotations:

This hath not offended the king.
attributed to Thomas More on the scaffold. From Bacon's Apothegms, no. 22.

attributed to Henry IV:
Paris is well worth a mass.

OUTLINE

I. The Aftermath of Luther in Germany:
A. The Anabaptists and MÅenster
B. The Protestant League
C. The Peace of Augsburg -- 1555
"cuius regio, eius religio"
II. Zwingli
III. Calvin
A. Institutes of the Christian Religion -- 1536
B. The Marburg Colloquy
Communion as a symbol vs. transubstantiation (Catholic) Luther's views -- consubstantiation
C. The Presbytery (Geneva)
church controls the state
laity controls the church
Calvin and Democracy (New England colonies!)
D. The Calling
The Weber Thesis:
Calvin and Capitalism
IV. The English Reformation
A. Henry VIII (1509-1547)
the opponent of Luther:
The Defense of the Seven Sacraments
B. His divorce from Catherine of Aragon
i. The Act of Supremacy -- 1534
ii. "The Man For All Seasons:" Thomas More's opposition. Take a virtual tour of The Tower of London The Tower of London, where Thomas More spent the last years of his life before losing his head.
iii. confiscation of church estates, dissolution of monasteries iv. the Six Articles -- 1539
Catholic structure without the pope
transubstantiation
celibacy of the clergy
BUT -- the ENGLISH MASS
C. the aftermath
i. Bloody Mary and the resurgence of Catholic opposition her marriage to Philip of Spain -- led the Counter Reformation ii. Elizabeth the Great
her birth and her protestant outlook
enforces the Book of Common Prayer
No Saints
Married Clergy
D. Try exploring some on-line biographies and digitalized paintings of Engish kings and queens
V. Protestantism
i. rejection of official church structure priests not regarded as a special estate
lay control of church
no pope ii. interpretation of the scriptures left to the individual Bible in common languages iii. no need for confession, indulgences
iv. no externals -- no candles or incense
v. no cult of saints
vi. liturgy (services) said in the spoken languages of the people
VI. The Counter Reformation
i. led by Spain wealth from the New World created strong monarchy
Ignatius Loyola:: The Spiritual Exercises
the Jesuits:
"white is black, black is white":
complete submission in matters of faith
ii. The Council of Trent: 1545-1563
*** rejection of justification by faith
*** affirmation of free will in order to follow commandments
*** priests retained their special position in the church
*** transubstantiation affirmed
*** The Latin Vulgate affirmed as the official Catholic Bible
*** Affirmed the Papacy as the center of the church rejected the conciliar movement
*** retained the seven sacraments
*** Index of Prohibited Books
VII. Impact of the Council of Trent:
i. the Catholic Church remained unified under the papacy vs. the multitude of protestant sects ii. But rigidity kept Catholics from reconciling with Protestants
gulf made worse by violence of the Inquisition in Spain
*** attempts today to reconcile Anglicans and Catholics
*** ecumenical movements
iii. Vatican II -- the reformation of the Catholic church
Chalice to the Laity
laity read the Bible
mass in English and other common languages vs. Latin
movement today towards married clergy -- controversial
iv. Erasmus's reaction -- Luther blew out my candle!!!!
v. the Protestant Reformation was solidified when Elizabeth and the English navy defeated the Spanish Armada in 1588