The Protestant Reformation and the Counter-Reformation have been two very significant events in European history. They are a vitally important part of the Renaissance. They marked the point at which the power of the Church was decreasing and the power of monarchs increasing. The Protestant Reformation began from Martin Luther. Martin Luther had once once been a monk of the Church, but after learning about the way in which indulgences were practiced in the Church (especially practiced by Tetzel), he had written 95 indulgence applications and posted them in a nearby church.
He supposed that the Church would accept these petitions. Unfortunately for the Church, the petitions were not accepted. By not adopting Luther’s teachings, the church had inadvertantly encouraged its own decline. Since they did not kill Luther immediatly, he was able to spread his “heresy,” and, by the time the Church realized how large a threat he was, it was too late. Luther had, in the 1520’s started the religion of Lutherism. Lutherinism conflicted directly with the Church. It said that only two the Sacraments were needed: Baptism and Communion. This would have reduced the power of the Protestant clergy and also saved the farmers money.
It also would also encourage the peasants to become converts. It also would encourage lords and princes to convert. They converted to take over the Church’s hold on their lands and also to gain gigantic amounts of power over the new religion. Instead of the church controlling the officials, the officials were controlling the (Lutheran) church. Lutheranism also emphasized intentions. He said that in fact, for God to forgive a person, they should feel real regret, not just pay a fine. He also said that in order for a person to be accounted good, they must have a good purpose, not just fear of hell. I believe that these facts were not important to the converts compared to the facts that Luther defined Lutheranism much more clearly than the Church defined Christendom.
