Causes of the German Reformation
- Created by: carts
- Created on: 19-10-21 17:06
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- Causes of the German Reformation
- Renaissance
- 'Rebirth' of ideas which encouraged greater intelligence and new independent thinking
- Society was more open to new ideas
- Humanists central to new ideas
- People were less willing to accept medieval ideas of the RCC
- Political Changes
- In nations with strong monarchies, power was consolidate by the state rather than the Church
- As state power increased, it diminished the power of the Church which lost control over people
- The weakened position of the Church and the Papacy meant that they were unable to stand up to the growing power of the Protestants
- Political Organisation in Germany
- G was divided into lots of small political units with the central gvmnt in the hands of HRE ChV
- Lots of people were competing for power and control
- By C16 local bishops and princes were trying to extend authority
- Anti-secular and anti-religious groups were uniting
- Dispute Between Papacy & HRE
- ChV tried to protect his authority and position in Germany which caused a further power struggle
- Jealousy & rivalry between Papacy and HRE was centuries old
- The Printing Press
- 50 printing presses in Germany by 1500
- '95 Theses' could be copied and was spread quickly
- Untitled
- Social & Economic Factors
- Effects of an economic depression led to social and economic dissatisfaction
- Trade moved West and lead to unemployment in Germany
- Inflation
- Growth of Towns
- Towns were centres of printing presses
- Universities were situated in towns and and were centres for intellectuals who questioned RCCs practices
- Increase in education for more 'ordinary people'
- Trade helped to spread ideas as geographically, Germany was well situated to take advantage of central trading
- Religious Reasons
- Anti-clericalism
- Anti-papalism
- RCC was seen as a foreign power and people did not like money leaving their country to subsidise RCC
- Indulgences
- Pluralism
- Nepotism
- Absenteeism
- Luther's Actions
- October 1517, Luther pins '95 Theses' to a church door in Wittenberg
- '95 Theses'
- "Justification by faith alone"
- Theses designed to spark debate about the shortcomings of the RCC. It was quickly taken out of context
- Luther was fortunate that his actions coincided with a number of other problems at the same time as earlier reformers such as Wycliffe and Huss who had not been as lucky
- Renaissance
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