Western Civilization
Outline #27
Professor Knight

The Protestant Reformation

I.  The Background
	Church Corruption
		Pope Alexander VI (1492-1503)
		Reform Efforts
			Fifth Lateran Council (1512-1517)
	Popular Piety
		The Rosary
		Cult of Relics
	Northern European Humanism
		Thomas More (1478-1535)
		Desiderius Erasmus (1469-1536)
			“In Praise of Folly”
			New Translation of the Bible from Greek

II.  Martin Luther (1483-1546)
	Professor of Theology, University of Wittenberg
	95 Theses (October 1517) against Indulgences
	1520—Breaks with Church
	Diet of Worms (1521)
		Luther stands up to Emperor Charles V

III.  Teachings of Luther
	Main questions 
		How to Achieve Salvation?
		What is the Source of Religious Authority?
	Three part formula
		Faith alone (Sole Fida)
		Scripture alone (Sole Scripturum)
		Grace alone (Sole Grace)
	The Implications
		Luther Rejects monasticism.
		Rejects confession
		Rejects transsubstantiation of the eucharist

IV.  The Political Context
	German Princes
		John Frederick, Elector of Saxony (Luther’s Protector)
	German Peasants’ Rebellion (1525)
	Spread of Lutheranism