THE REFORMATION: THEOLOGY Flashcards
What is the biblical story of creation
God creates earth (rest on 7th day)
Adam and Eve
Eat from Garden (original sin)
Kicks them from Eden
What is the biblical story of Jesus?
Mary born as immaculate conception (she’s born without original sin)
Jesus = Son of God and Mary
- He is both 100% human and 100% divine
In death, he atones for original sin and all sins of his believers
God and Jesus experience all time at once
- So Jesus experiences dying constantly
What are the key theological beliefs of the medieval Latin Church?
*Trinity: there is one God with three aspects, Father, Son, Holy Spirit
*Salvation requires faith, confession, and good work
What are the key rituals of the medieval Latin Church?
- Seven sacraments
- Mass: In latin by priest
- Confession: Heard by priest
- Communion: Wafer and wine (transubstantiation- becoming his flesh)
What are the seven sacraments
Baptism,
Confirmation,
Eucharist,
Penance,
Anointing of the Sick,
Holy Orders,
Matrimony
What was the church like in Luther’s lifetime?
Mass in Latin (no bibles in spoken languages)
Only qualified ppl could interpret
Priests= no marriage and celibate
Indulgences (a mechanism used to build St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome) - a way for individuals to receive full or partial remission of punishment for sins.
What are the basics of Luther’s theology?
1) Sola Fide (by faith alone)
-Salvation is achieved only through faith
-Through faith u want to confess sins
- True confession is to urself
-Doing good things to be saved is impossible
2) Sola Scriptura (by Scripture alone)
- Source of religon =bible (each person should interpret it)
- Luther translates bible to German (rise of print makes distribution possible)
Notes: Everything he says is backed by scripture
Which sacraments does he believe in?
Three Sacraments: Baptism, Confession, Euchar
What does Luther think about Indulgences?
Luther believes indulgences are corrupt and idolatrous
- Only way to be saved is through Jesus' sacrifice
heretical for the Church to suggest that humans can change God’s mind, especially with something as small as contributing to the Basilica funds
What were Luther’s Ninety-Five These?
Academic disputation
Against indulgences
They are reprinted and circulate widely
How does the Church react to Luther?
Causes a pamphlet war (cheap pages back and forth in verbal dispute)
Pope begins a heresy investigation into Luther (Luther says pope isn’t above the bible)
Luther publishes a letter to Pope Leo X (then gets threatened to be excommunicated by Leo X)
Luther is excommunicated
*Luther consistently refuses to recant and meets Church threats with increasing brazenness
*Marries in 1523, rejecting priestly celibacy
What is Luther’s opinion on:
What is required for salvation?
Faith alone ((true faith inspires confession and good works))
What is Luther’s opinion on:
Mass
In vernacular languages
What is Luther’s opinion on:
Confession
True confession is an internal process, but any Christian can be a confessor
What is Luther’s opinion on:
Transubstantiation (bread and wine = Jesus flesh)
Jesus is present in the bread of wine, but it does not turn into his flesh and blood
What is Luther’s opinion on:
Priestly Celibacy
No
What is Luther’s opinion on:
Who Interprets the Bible
Any Christian
Who is John Calvin?
Born in Kingdom of France
Intended to become a priest but converted to Protestantism following a period of personal anguish and turmoil
What were the basics of Calvin’s theology?
Scripture is the only way to gain knowledge of God
Two Sacraments: Baptism and the Lord’s Supper
*Infant Baptism
*Lord’s Supper: consuming the bread and wine
*Rejects transubstantiation entire
Explain Calvin and Predestination (and double predestination)
Predestination: God knows who will come to faith and be saved
Double predestination: God knows who will be damned
What are some differences between Luther and Calvin?
On Predestination:
Luther: mentions predestination (doesn’t like double predestination)
Calvin: Double predestination all the way babeyy
On How salvation happens:
Luther: By accepting gods sacrifice we are saved
Calvin: God is entirely sovereign in choosing who gets saved
On bread and wine:
Luther: Christ is in the bread and wine (sponge metaphor)
Calvin: It is just bread and wine, but it is an external sign of faith that lifts Christians closer to God
What is a Consequence of sola scriptura (Interpret text your own way)?
People will begin interpreting the Bible for themselves and starting new denominations
New dominions from interpretations:
- Anabaptists: no infant baptism
(Mennonites, Amis) - Nontrinitarians: there is no trinity
(Latter-Day Saints)
-
What is the summary of this section?
The Reformation represents the largest break within the Church since the Great Schism of 1054
emphasized personal faith and Scripture study, which led to the establishment of numerous different denominations
Luther and Calvin (most influential)
