THE REFORMATION: THEOLOGY

Question 1

What is the biblical story of creation

Answer 1

God creates earth (rest on 7th day)

Adam and Eve

Eat from Garden (original sin)

Kicks them from Eden

Question 2

What is the biblical story of Jesus?

Answer 2

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

Question 3

What are the key theological beliefs of the medieval Latin Church?

Answer 3

*Trinity: there is one God with three aspects, Father, Son, Holy Spirit

*Salvation requires faith, confession, and good work

Question 4

What are the key rituals of the medieval Latin Church?

Answer 4

• Seven sacraments
• Mass: In latin by priest
• Confession: Heard by priest
• Communion: Wafer and wine (transubstantiation- becoming his flesh)

Question 5

What are the seven sacraments

Answer 5

Baptism,

Confirmation,

Eucharist,

Penance,

Anointing of the Sick,

Holy Orders,

Matrimony

Question 6

What was the church like in Luther’s lifetime?

Answer 6

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.

Question 7

What are the basics of Luther’s theology?

Answer 7

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

Question 8

Which sacraments does he believe in?

Answer 8

Three Sacraments: Baptism, Confession, Euchar

Question 9

What does Luther think about Indulgences?

Answer 9

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

Question 10

What were Luther’s Ninety-Five These?

Answer 10

Academic disputation

Against indulgences

They are reprinted and circulate widely

Question 11

How does the Church react to Luther?

Answer 11

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

Question 12

What is Luther’s opinion on:

What is required for salvation?

Answer 12

Faith alone ((true faith inspires confession and good works))

Question 13

What is Luther’s opinion on:

Mass

Answer 13

In vernacular languages

Question 14

What is Luther’s opinion on:

Confession

Answer 14

True confession is an internal process, but any Christian can be a confessor

Question 15

What is Luther’s opinion on:

Transubstantiation (bread and wine = Jesus flesh)

Answer 15

Jesus is present in the bread of wine, but it does not turn into his flesh and blood

Question 16

What is Luther’s opinion on:

Priestly Celibacy

Answer 16

No

Question 17

What is Luther’s opinion on:

Who Interprets the Bible

Answer 17

Any Christian

Question 18

Who is John Calvin?

Answer 18

Born in Kingdom of France

Intended to become a priest but converted to Protestantism following a period of personal anguish and turmoil

Question 19

What were the basics of Calvin’s theology?

Answer 19

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

Question 20

Explain Calvin and Predestination (and double predestination)

Answer 20

Predestination: God knows who will come to faith and be saved

Double predestination: God knows who will be damned

Question 21

What are some differences between Luther and Calvin?

Answer 21

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

Question 22

What is a Consequence of sola scriptura (Interpret text your own way)?

Answer 22

People will begin interpreting the Bible for themselves and starting new denominations

Question 23

New dominions from interpretations:

Answer 23

• Anabaptists: no infant baptism
  (Mennonites, Amis)
• Nontrinitarians: there is no trinity
  (Latter-Day Saints)
  -

Question 24

What is the summary of this section?

Answer 24

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)