Unit 2: Reformation & Religious Wars

Corruption in the Catholic Church, use of the printing press to spread new ideas, and the growing power of the new monarchs led to the Protestant Reformation and changes in religious beliefs, institutions, and culture. Christian humanists, like Erasmus, and dissenters, like Martin Luther, John Calvin, and the Anabaptists, criticized church doctrine, practices, and abuses.

The lower classes turned to Protestantism and revolting, hoping in vain for economic reforms and freedom from serfdom. The Reformation affected European society through social dislocation and led to changes in gender roles and debate about the traditional role of women.

Religious change led to debate about the traditional roles of women. Religious reforms of Henry VIII and Elizabeth I empowered the English monarchy, while other rulers, such as Philip II of Spain, enhanced their power by embracing Catholicism. Dynastic, commercial, and religious issues played roles in Wars of Religion that devastated sixteenth-century Europe. Protestant nobles challenged traditional rulers and the Catholic Church in the Holy Roman Empire, the French Wars of Religion, and the Dutch Revolt, leading to political change. Religious minorities were often persecuted during this period, and dealing with homeless refugees was a particular problem for many towns. For a short time, freedom of religion in France was granted by the Edict of Nantes.

Source: Western Civilization, Spielvogel, pg. 365

Key Concepts

1.2: Religious pluralism challenged the concept of a unified Europe.
- 1.2.I: The Protestant and Catholic reformations fundamentally changed theology, religious institutions, culture, and attitudes toward wealth and prosperity.
- 1.2.II: Religious reform both increased state control of religious institutions and provided justifications for challenging state authority.
- 1.2.III: Conflicts among religious groups overlapped with political and economic competition within and among states.
1.4.V: Popular culture, leisure activities, and rituals reflecting the continued popularity of folk ideas reinforced and sometimes challenged communal ties and norms.
1.5.III: The competition for power between monarchs and corporate and minority language/religious groups produced different distributions of governmental authority in European states.

Guiding Questions

What were the essential ideas of the reformers, and why were their ideas appealing to different social groups?
How did the reformers convey their message to their followers?
How did the state of political affairs in Germany and England shape the course of the reformations in their respective countries?
How did the Catholic Church respond to the new religious status quo?
What were the causes and consequences of the religious violence that followed the Protestant Reformation?