(idea) by Great Neb Wed Mar 21 2001 at 10:05:39
The Reformation

The Reformation was a period of social and religous uphieval in the 16th Century. It has its foundings in Humanism the works of thinkers like Erasmus. However it was sparked by Martin Luther and his 95 theses.

The reformation can be said to have taken place in two waves. The first wave was that of Lutheranism and Zwinglism. The major changes in theological thinking occured at this stage.

The mass was rejected, the number of sacraments reduced and most importantly Papal authority was rejected. The struggle for first generation reformers was to gain accpetance to these revolutionary ideas. For over 1000 years in Europe there had been only one religion with no possibility of another.

It came down to the second generation reformers to lay down a clear structure for the new churches. It was primarily John Calvin who did this. There were no other really successful second generation reformers, by their time the Catholic church had organised its Catholic Reformation.

1517 - Martin Luther pins his 95 theses to the church door at Wittenberg University.

1518 - Luther has an interview with Cardinal Cajetan, the Papal Legate in Germany. Nothing is resolved.

1519 - Holy Roman Emperor Maximillian dies leading to an election process during which the Pope orders that Luther is left alone. Charles of Spain becomes Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor. The Leipzig disputation takes place between Luther and Dr Johannes Eck.

1520 - Luther condemned in the Papal bull Exsurge Domine. He reacts by burning the bull and other writings.

1521 - Luther is excommunicated with the bull Decet Romanum. Charles V enforces this at the Diet of Worms but Luther is protected by Frederick the Wise.

1522 - Ulrich Zwingli breaks Lenten fasting regulations in Zurich to protest against man made regulations in the church. Luther translates the New Testament into German while in hiding at Wartburg.

1523 - Zwingli produces his 67 theses in Zurich. These are adopted by Zurich as the basis of their new reformed church.

1524 - There is ordered iconoclasm in Zurich. The Peasants War begins.

1525 - Luther condemns the Peasants War. Zurich rejects the mass. The Diet of Speyer grants temporary religious freedom to Lutherans.

1526 - Landgrave Philip of Hesse adopts Lutheranism.

1529 - Luther and Zwingli meet at the Marlburg Colloguy but fail to unite their movements. The 2nd Diet of Speyer takes place, the religious freedom is removed and 6 princes and 14 cities sign the Protestation.

1530 - The Diet of Augsburg begins. Philip Melanchthon produces the Augsburg Confession.

1531 - The League of Schmalkalden, a group of Protestant states, is formed. Zwingli is killed in battle against a neighbouring canton.

1532 - At the Diet of Regensburg another religious tolerance agreement is formed, the Religious Truce of Nuremburg.

1534 - King Henry VIII of England breaks from the Roman Catholic Church.

1535 - Anabaptists gain control of the city of Münster. Geneva gains its freedom from the Duke of Savoy. Thomas Moore is executed for refusing to take the oath of the King's supremacy.

1536 - John Calvin publishes his Institutes of Christian Religion in Geneva. Henry VIII absolves the monasteries and nunneries in England. Denmark and Norway are declared Lutheran.

1538 - Calvin is expelled from Geneva following a change in the balance of power in the synod.

1539 - The Frankfurt Interim grants a further period of toleration for Lutherans.

1541 - Talks fail at the Diet of Regensburg due largely to the Pope's of agreements reached by Philip Melanchthon and Contarini at the Colloquy of Ratisbon. Calvin is invited to return to Geneva. He publishes his Ecclesiastical Ordinances. John Knox begins the Calvinist movement in Scotland.

1545 - First session of the Council of Trent.

1546 - Luther dies. The Schmalkaldic war begins, between Charles V and the Lutheran Princes.

1547 - Charles V wins the Schmalkaldic war at the Battle of Muhlberg, 1547. The Diet of Augsburg, 1547-48 is convened in an attempt to produce a religious settlement. The Augsburg Interim is produced. Attempts unsuccessful and Lutheranism remains entrenched in Germany.

1554 - The Catholic Church is restored in England.

1555 - The Diet of Augsburg produces the Truce of Augsburg granting each ruler the right to chose between Catholicism and Lutheranism. Calvin gains total control of Geneva.

1560 - The Church of Scotland is founded.

1562-1578 - French Wars of Religion between Catholics and Calvinist Protestants (Huguenots)

The Reformers

The Politicians

The Organisations

The Writings

The Happenings

The New Churches and Faiths

I like it! 2 C!s