The Reformation (1955)

[Music] [Music] if we were asked to name the most important and Dom ating influence in the Middle Ages we might well say the Christian Church from the fall of Rome until the middle of the 16th century the Christian faith had been largely taught by the church organization which had its Center at Rome gradually this church was accepted as the established church by most of the people of Western Europe and yet by the middle of the 16th century the church had lost much of its power and influence great areas of Europe had separated completely from the church other churches teaching different interpretations of Christianity appeared the movement that brought this about we know as the Reformation to see how it came to pass let us see something of the role of the church in the lives of medieval men life for the common man in the Middle Ages was difficult he had few of the the material Comforts that we know there was almost no popular learning outside the church organization there were a few schools or universities open to him but the doors of the church were always open he found in the church a kind of security his own daily life did not always provide here no matter how lowly or poor he might be he could turn to the comforting teachings of the Christian faith if aided by the church church he followed these teachings he could be assured of the Salvation of his soul life in heaven would be free of the problems that beset him on Earth such things as famines or plagues Not only was he troubled by these possibilities but his life was often disrupted by his feudal rulers he had to serve in the frequent Wars between the princes and Lords who ruled Europe in medieval times Europe was a collection of many kingdoms and duchies ruled by many different Lords and princes in contrast to this the organization of the church was a picture of unity with its Center at Rome the Church Controlled much land it also had great wealth some of the wealth came from taxes and some from gifts the church also commanded respect for its learning medieval churchmen were the best educated men of their day it exerted certain kinds of Power with a papal bull the pope could excommunicate a church member and so in the life of medieval man the church played a guiding role from birth to death for centuries before 1300 Rome had been the center of the church ruled by a long line of popes a change came in 1303 when a king of France induced the papacy to move from the papal lands to Aon for the next 70 years this Palace of the popes in Aon was the center of the church Not only was there a pope here at Aon but eventually another Pope was elected at Rome where was the true allegiance to Rome or to Church leadership was at a low E political leadership in Europe was gaining strength strong leaders were arising who gradually welded the feudal States into larger stronger Nations some of the national monarchs were resisting interference by the church yet Rome once more Undisputed home of the papacy was still the source of Christian guidance but the attitudes of the man of 1500 were different from those of medieval man the man of 1500 was influenced by the cultural rebirth we know as the Renaissance books and learning were more eagerly sought growing trade and Industry brought more emphasis on the worldly life rather than the spiritual and some men were beginning to find for with church doctrine as it affected their daily lives some of the New Attitudes came from the new learning men still sought salvation but at the universities they explored the new humanist learning which stressed free critical investigation scholars in the north of Europe re-examined scripture for the essence of Christianity and sought to solve the church's Troubles by a greater emphasis on Faith such Faith was still the principal concern of the Common People pilgrimages Journeys to Holy shrines were becoming ever more frequent this was outward evidence of a growing concern with salvation this concern led many people to an awareness of certain abuses which had crept into church organization some felt that the church should return to the idea IDE of such men as St Francis ideals of Simplicity and humility some thought the church had grown to wealthy and to worldly some criticize the vast temporal power that the church exerted in the early 1500s in the German province of Saxony a part of the Holy Roman Empire a leader for reform was active in the town of vitberg in the University Town of vitberg a church scholar pondered on the relationship between the Christian church and the Christian faith his name was Martin Luther like his fellow men he was deeply concerned about his salvation as an augustinian monk he had spent long years in the study of the Bible reading and rereading the biblical text he searched his conscience for a concept of salvation and finally he reached this conclusion man is saved not by doing good works but by faith alone this meant to Luther a more personal interpretation of the gospels and other aspects of church doctrine even as Luther studied the Pope in Rome Was preparing to complete the great church of St Peters to raise funds for the completion of this Cathedral the pope authorized a sale of indulgences in Germany a monk named Johan tetel was selling the indulgences which granted remission in varying degree of Punishment Due to sin while many worthwhile causes had benefited from such sales in the past there was increasing criticism of the practice this sale in 1517 brought from Luther a formal Challenge on the church door of vitberg Luther nailed a list of 95 thesis or arguments against the sale of indulgences this became one of the most important acts in the history of the Reformation it brought Luther into disagreement with Pope Leo the 10th it brought him into conflict with his Sovereign Charles I Holy Roman Emperor however his actions also brought him the support of certain German princes and at the same time Luther's writings printed and circulated in Germany brought in the support of many common people here in the ancient city of bormes Luther was called in 1521 by Emperor Charles I to answer charges of heresy but Luther would not recant any of his views according to tradition Luther said here I stand I cannot do otherwise God help me amen outlawed by the emperor Charles Luther was befriended by a German Prince Luther was taken and hidden in the prince's castle where he continued his studies Luther's benefactor was elector Frederick of Saxony and under this Prince's protection Luther translated the Bible from Latin into German so that men might study it and seek in it their faith before long his writings were helping to spread the movement which was soon to be called protestantism Luther's churches were established in Germany in Scandinavia and in Bohemia but Luther was not alone in the movement he inspired other reformers though their protestantism was not identical with his ol single's sermons in Suk started the Reformation in Switzerland and in the reinland John Calvin centered his Protestant Church in Geneva Switzerland from which Calvinism spread throughout Europe by influencing the Puritans Calvin's protestantism was carried to the new world John Knox a disciple of Calvin led the Protestant movement in Scotland the work of Luther and other reformers was aided Now by national rulers in England for instance the Anglican Church was established by King Henry VII what had begun as a reform movement of the one accepted church with its Center at Rome finally resulted in the spread of protestantism from such centers as vitber Suk and Geneva this meant the growth of a multitude of churches still Christian in faith but differing in interpretation but the establishment of the various churches was not made peacefully for a 100 years bitter religious wars both civil and National ravaged Europe finally the destructive religious wars came to an end in 1648 bringing the period of reformation to a close but there were results that left lasting influences on the people of Europe before the Reformation a single Christian Church dominated the lives of most of the people of Europe and the People by and large had obeyed the teachings of the church but gradually the attitude of some men toward the Church began to change the new learning and the piety of the people helped point the way toward Church reform some of those looking for reform found leaders in Martin Luther and other Scholars and churchmen of the period their belief that individual conscience was Superior to church Authority opened a new direction to the Reformation but this develop was slow for the reformers wanted order not chaos some reformers gave much religious authority to Protestant rulers helping the growth of some of the national States at the same time Pious and dedicated men such as lyola continued the work of reform within the Catholic Church perhaps one of the most lasting results of the Protestant Reformation was the encouragement of individualism in religion individualism that was to play an increasing role in the history of Western Europe