Historical Background: The Protestant Reformation
What was the Protestant Reformation?
During the Protestant Reformation, Protestant churches and denominations separated from the Catholic church, which had dominated Europe in earlier centuries.
How did the Reformation begin?
The Reformation began in 1517 with the actions of Martin Luther, a German monk and Catholic priest. Luther strongly disputed the Catholic Church's claim that freedom from God's punishment for sin could be purchased with money.
As part of a fund-raising campaign commissioned by Pope Leo X to finance the renovation of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, Johann Tetzel, a Catholic priest, began the sale of indulgences in the German lands. Indulgences were documents that members of the Catholic church could buy that said that their sins were forgiven. People believed that if they bought them, they would be free from suffering for their sins in Purgatory after death. There was a saying at the time, attributed to Tetzel: "As soon as the coin in the coffer [offering box] rings, the soul from purgatory [also attested as 'into heaven'] springs."
Albert of Mainz, the Archbishop of Mainz in Germany, had borrowed heavily to pay for his high church rank and was deeply in debt. He agreed to allow the sale of the indulgences in his territory in exchange for a cut of the proceeds. Luther was apparently not aware of this. Even though the prince of the part of Germany where Luther lived, Frederick III, and the prince of the neighboring territory, George, Duke of Saxony, forbade the sale of indulgences in their respective lands, the people who went to the church where Luther was a priest traveled to purchase them. When these people came to confession, they presented their indulgences which they had paid good silver money for; they told Martin Luther that they no longer had to repent of their sins, since the document they had purchased promised to forgive all their sins.
Luther was outraged that the members of his church had paid money to receive what he believed was theirs for free as a gift from God. He felt compelled to expose the fraud that was being sold to the pious people. This exposure was to take place in the form of a public scholarly debate at the University of Wittenberg. Luther composed a document called the "Ninety-Five Theses" ("theses" is plural of "thesis"), which outlined the items to be discussed at the debate and issued the challenge to anyone who disagreed with his views. He nailed the "Ninety-Five Theses" to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenburg, Germany.
Within two weeks, copies of the "Theses" had spread throughout Germany; within two months, they had spread throughout Europe. In January 1518, Christoph von Scheurl and other friends of Luther translated the "Ninety-Five Theses" from Latin into German, printed, and widely copied them, making the controversy one of the first in history to be aided by the printing press. The Pope disagreed with Luther's beliefs, but Luther did not change his mind. Luther was excommunicated by Pope Leo X on January 3, 1521. By 1522, much of the population of Wittenburg, Germany, had turned away from the Catholic Church and had begun to participate in what became known as the Lutheran Church, named after Martin Luther.
Luther believed that the Bible should be written and read in a language that the congregation understood. He decided to translate the Bible from Latin, which was the traditional language used for the Bible at the time, to German, so that everyday people in his country could read it and understand it for themselves, rather than relying on translation by a priest.
The name "Protestant" contains the word "protest." This may help you remember that Protestants were rebelling against the teachings of the church that they were separating from, just as Martin Luther protested against the selling of indulgences.
During the Protestant Reformation, Protestant churches and denominations separated from the Catholic church, which had dominated Europe in earlier centuries.
How did the Reformation begin?
The Reformation began in 1517 with the actions of Martin Luther, a German monk and Catholic priest. Luther strongly disputed the Catholic Church's claim that freedom from God's punishment for sin could be purchased with money.
As part of a fund-raising campaign commissioned by Pope Leo X to finance the renovation of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, Johann Tetzel, a Catholic priest, began the sale of indulgences in the German lands. Indulgences were documents that members of the Catholic church could buy that said that their sins were forgiven. People believed that if they bought them, they would be free from suffering for their sins in Purgatory after death. There was a saying at the time, attributed to Tetzel: "As soon as the coin in the coffer [offering box] rings, the soul from purgatory [also attested as 'into heaven'] springs."
Albert of Mainz, the Archbishop of Mainz in Germany, had borrowed heavily to pay for his high church rank and was deeply in debt. He agreed to allow the sale of the indulgences in his territory in exchange for a cut of the proceeds. Luther was apparently not aware of this. Even though the prince of the part of Germany where Luther lived, Frederick III, and the prince of the neighboring territory, George, Duke of Saxony, forbade the sale of indulgences in their respective lands, the people who went to the church where Luther was a priest traveled to purchase them. When these people came to confession, they presented their indulgences which they had paid good silver money for; they told Martin Luther that they no longer had to repent of their sins, since the document they had purchased promised to forgive all their sins.
Luther was outraged that the members of his church had paid money to receive what he believed was theirs for free as a gift from God. He felt compelled to expose the fraud that was being sold to the pious people. This exposure was to take place in the form of a public scholarly debate at the University of Wittenberg. Luther composed a document called the "Ninety-Five Theses" ("theses" is plural of "thesis"), which outlined the items to be discussed at the debate and issued the challenge to anyone who disagreed with his views. He nailed the "Ninety-Five Theses" to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenburg, Germany.
Within two weeks, copies of the "Theses" had spread throughout Germany; within two months, they had spread throughout Europe. In January 1518, Christoph von Scheurl and other friends of Luther translated the "Ninety-Five Theses" from Latin into German, printed, and widely copied them, making the controversy one of the first in history to be aided by the printing press. The Pope disagreed with Luther's beliefs, but Luther did not change his mind. Luther was excommunicated by Pope Leo X on January 3, 1521. By 1522, much of the population of Wittenburg, Germany, had turned away from the Catholic Church and had begun to participate in what became known as the Lutheran Church, named after Martin Luther.
Luther believed that the Bible should be written and read in a language that the congregation understood. He decided to translate the Bible from Latin, which was the traditional language used for the Bible at the time, to German, so that everyday people in his country could read it and understand it for themselves, rather than relying on translation by a priest.
The name "Protestant" contains the word "protest." This may help you remember that Protestants were rebelling against the teachings of the church that they were separating from, just as Martin Luther protested against the selling of indulgences.
Historical Background: Puritanism
Where did the Puritans come from?
Another Protestant group was called the Church of England, which separated from the Catholic Church in 1534 during the English Reformation. The Puritans were a Protestant group that, in turn, began separating from the Church of England around 1558. Puritans by definition felt that the English Reformation had not gone far enough in separation from the Catholic Church. They believed that the Church of England was tolerant of practices which they associated with the Catholic Church. The Puritans formed into and identified with various religious groups advocating greater "purity" of worship and doctrine, as well as personal and group piety.
What did the Puritans believe?
Basic Puritan Religious Beliefs
"Puritan beliefs were filled with paradoxes. The Puritans rebelled against others in order to create the perfect world, a utopia that did not allow for rebellion. The Puritan beliefs and goals created a tension-filled paradoxical dilemma. Man was not to sin, but he would sin anyway. Man was required to forgive, but evil was ever-present. Man was a seeker of salvation, but was helpless against evil. He was to live in hopes of eternal salvation, but he may not have been predetermined by God for salvation." (Source)
Use "TULIP" to help yourself remember! (Source)
Total Depravity --> The concept of "Original Sin": Because of Adam and Eve's sin, everyone is born a sinful person.
Unconditional Election --> Predestination: God "saves" those he wishes (only a few are selected for salvation). Because God is
all-knowing (omniscient), God knows whether a person is going to heaven or hell before that person is even born!
Limited Atonement --> Jesus died for the chosen only, not for everyone.
Irresistible Grace --> God's forgiveness of sins (grace) is freely given; it cannot be earned or denied through "works".
Power of the "Saints" --> Those elected by God have full power to interpret the will of God and to live uprightly. If anyone rejects grace after feeling its power in his life, he will be going against the will of God - something impossible in Puritanism.
Beliefs about Life and Living
(1) People do not always need a pastor or priest to tell them what the Bible means. They are allowed to read and study
the Bible on their own at home.
(2) It is important to strive for moral purity.
(3) Man exists for the glory of God; his first concern in life should be to do God's will and so to receive future happiness.
(4) The Devil, demons, demonic possession, and witchcraft are truly real.
(5) All people, rich and poor, should be educated (so that they can study the Bible).
(6) Husbands are the spiritual head of the household. Women are to demonstrate religious piety and obedience under male
authority.
(7) God's wrath and reward are present in natural phenomena like flooding, a bountiful harvest, or lightning striking a home.
(Job 1:21 "And [Job] said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.")
(8) American settlers are destined to expand across the continent (Manifest Destiny).
Historians have for the most part agreed that there are three basic themes to Manifest Destiny:
(a) The special virtues of the American people and their institutions
(b) America's mission to redeem and remake the world in the image of America
(c) A divine destiny under God's direction to accomplish this wonderful task --> This one is very Puritan!
Without using the words "Manifest Destiny", John Winthrop articulated the concept in his famous sermon, the Arbella Covenant (1630), when he said: " ... for we must consider that we shall be as a city upon a hill, the eyes of all people are upon us; ..." Winthrop exhorts his listeners to carry on God's mission and to set a shining example for the rest of the world.
(9) A strong work ethic is important. Since it was impossible to know who was predestined, the notion developed that it
might be possible to discern that a person was elect (predestined to go to heaven) by observing their way of life. Hard
work and frugality, as well as social success and wealth, were thought to be two important consequences of being one
of the elect; thus, Protestants were thus attracted to these qualities and strove to reach them.
Another Protestant group was called the Church of England, which separated from the Catholic Church in 1534 during the English Reformation. The Puritans were a Protestant group that, in turn, began separating from the Church of England around 1558. Puritans by definition felt that the English Reformation had not gone far enough in separation from the Catholic Church. They believed that the Church of England was tolerant of practices which they associated with the Catholic Church. The Puritans formed into and identified with various religious groups advocating greater "purity" of worship and doctrine, as well as personal and group piety.
What did the Puritans believe?
Basic Puritan Religious Beliefs
"Puritan beliefs were filled with paradoxes. The Puritans rebelled against others in order to create the perfect world, a utopia that did not allow for rebellion. The Puritan beliefs and goals created a tension-filled paradoxical dilemma. Man was not to sin, but he would sin anyway. Man was required to forgive, but evil was ever-present. Man was a seeker of salvation, but was helpless against evil. He was to live in hopes of eternal salvation, but he may not have been predetermined by God for salvation." (Source)
Use "TULIP" to help yourself remember! (Source)
Total Depravity --> The concept of "Original Sin": Because of Adam and Eve's sin, everyone is born a sinful person.
Unconditional Election --> Predestination: God "saves" those he wishes (only a few are selected for salvation). Because God is
all-knowing (omniscient), God knows whether a person is going to heaven or hell before that person is even born!
Limited Atonement --> Jesus died for the chosen only, not for everyone.
Irresistible Grace --> God's forgiveness of sins (grace) is freely given; it cannot be earned or denied through "works".
Power of the "Saints" --> Those elected by God have full power to interpret the will of God and to live uprightly. If anyone rejects grace after feeling its power in his life, he will be going against the will of God - something impossible in Puritanism.
Beliefs about Life and Living
(1) People do not always need a pastor or priest to tell them what the Bible means. They are allowed to read and study
the Bible on their own at home.
(2) It is important to strive for moral purity.
(3) Man exists for the glory of God; his first concern in life should be to do God's will and so to receive future happiness.
(4) The Devil, demons, demonic possession, and witchcraft are truly real.
(5) All people, rich and poor, should be educated (so that they can study the Bible).
(6) Husbands are the spiritual head of the household. Women are to demonstrate religious piety and obedience under male
authority.
(7) God's wrath and reward are present in natural phenomena like flooding, a bountiful harvest, or lightning striking a home.
(Job 1:21 "And [Job] said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.")
(8) American settlers are destined to expand across the continent (Manifest Destiny).
Historians have for the most part agreed that there are three basic themes to Manifest Destiny:
(a) The special virtues of the American people and their institutions
(b) America's mission to redeem and remake the world in the image of America
(c) A divine destiny under God's direction to accomplish this wonderful task --> This one is very Puritan!
Without using the words "Manifest Destiny", John Winthrop articulated the concept in his famous sermon, the Arbella Covenant (1630), when he said: " ... for we must consider that we shall be as a city upon a hill, the eyes of all people are upon us; ..." Winthrop exhorts his listeners to carry on God's mission and to set a shining example for the rest of the world.
(9) A strong work ethic is important. Since it was impossible to know who was predestined, the notion developed that it
might be possible to discern that a person was elect (predestined to go to heaven) by observing their way of life. Hard
work and frugality, as well as social success and wealth, were thought to be two important consequences of being one
of the elect; thus, Protestants were thus attracted to these qualities and strove to reach them.
