THE REFORMATION: LIVED EXPERIENCES Flashcards
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
