Learn about the Protestant Reformation's history, effects, and impacts in Germany. Discover the causes and divisions leading to this religious reformation.
Updated: 11/21/2023
German Protestant Reformation | Definition, Timeline & Effects
Table of Contents
- Protestant Reformation in Germany
- Martin Luther
- Timeline of the Reformation
- Effects of the Protestant Reformation
- Lesson Summary
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Martin Luther lead the Reformation in Germany?
Yes, Martin Luther was one of the leaders of the Reformation in Germany. He was a prolific writer and used the press to disperse his writings throughout the Empire.
What was the main reason for Protestant Reformation?
The main reason for the Protestant Reformation was the sale of indulgences. This circumstance was seen as blatant fiscalism and a morally corrupt method of earning money.
What were the results of the Reformation in Germany?
The results of the Reformation were many, including the passing of the Peace of Augsburg, which would legalize Lutheranism. The Peace of Augsburg allowed local princes to choose the official religion of their region, decriminalizing Protestant religions.
Who started the Reformation movement in Germany?
Martin Luther is generally considered to be the leader of the Reformation in Germany. By publicly posting his 95 Theses, he became a sort of figurehead for the movement.
What did Martin Luther do in Germany?
Martin Luther was a priest who became the face of the Reformation movement. He argued against the Church selling indulgences and worked to create a more personal connection between individuals and the word of God.
Table of Contents
- Protestant Reformation in Germany
- Martin Luther
- Timeline of the Reformation
- Effects of the Protestant Reformation
- Lesson Summary
What was the Protestant Reformation? The German Protestant Reformation is traditionally dated to October 31, 1517. What is the Protestant Reformation definition? This German Protestant Reformation was a religious reform movement that rose out of local dissatisfaction with the performance of the Catholic Church. Peasants and members of the nobility in Germany at the time of the German Reformation were discontented for many reasons. As part of the Holy Roman Empire, they expected teachings from their priests and acts of the papacy to be rooted in faith and the word of God. Instead, they had an increasingly corrupt, bureaucratic church that was focused on creating wealth for itself and growing the power of its own officials.
Primarily, the selling of indulgences became the sticking point of the Reformation. In essence, an indulgence was a way for a sinner to buy back the time they should have spent in purgatory before reaching heaven. The way the peasantry saw it, indulgences were a purchase of forgiveness for sins. The more money one had, the more sins could be bought away, and all the money spent on these indulgences was being used directly to increase the wealth and power of the papacy.
Likewise, around this time, the Catholic Church was coming under increased pressure from European sovereign rulers who could ignore the previous power wielded by the pope. In particular, this would lead to such schisms as Henry VIII's famous schism with the Church.
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Martin Luther would become an Augustine monk, a revolutionary theologian, and the figurehead of a Reformation movement that saw all of Europe torn apart. Born on November 10, 1483, in Saxony, he came from a long line of peasants that his father had managed to better through his purchase of a share in a local metal-working business. Rather than let his son toil in the mines as he had, Luther's father was determined he should lead a better life and sent him for education in Mansfield. This decision was the basis of his religious training. From here, he furthered his tutoring in Magdeburg and, in 1501, at the Universities of Erefort and Wittenburg, from which he received a baccalaureate and eventually a master's degree.
As his father intended, Luther was set to pursue a career in law, despite his inclination toward the religious study. On July 17, 1505, this plan changed when Luther found himself engulfed in a terrifying thunderstorm which led him to pledge to Saint Anne, the patron saint of miners, that he would live a pious life in service of God should he survive. Immediately, he joined the Augustine monastery in Erfurt and focused his efforts on the scriptural study.
Throughout his religious studies, Luther was focused on the issue of justification for human sin. In 1510 and -11, Luther went to Rome to represent his order and was appalled at the state of the Church. The rampant monetization of indulgences was his primary issue, but he also saw growing dissatisfaction with the revelation of the Church's message. People were seeking a closer, more personal connection to God, and the continual preaching that only members of the Church officiary could interpret the word of God was not what the Bible intended.
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Over the next several years, Luther became more vocal about his grievances with the Church. He spoke publicly on the idea of Reformation and was a prolific writer, weaponizing the press in a way no other religious figure had managed to do before him. On October 31, 1517, Luther would post the famous 95 Theses on the door of the Schlosskirche, or Castle Church, which outlined his disgust with their current methods, particularly the sale of indulgences. Although his ideas were neither original nor extreme, his vocal outcries against the Church, culminating in the 95 Theses, led Luther to be regarded as the leader of the Reformation. When he posted his theses, he even did it as a means for an open debate over indulgences and the greed of the Church rather than blatant religious dissent. However, the Catholic Church would not brook his defiance, and he was publicly condemned, excommunicated, and whisked away into hiding for his safety. Here, he continued to write and publish his teachings on the corruption of the Church and the matters of faith. He also worked on translating the New Testament into the vernacular German language, one more step toward making religion and scriptural interpretation easier for the masses.
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When was the Protestant Reformation? Traditionally, October 31, 1517, is when the Protestant Reformation was said to begin, coinciding with Luther nailing his theses to the church door. Leading up to this were several notable events that led to the Reformation and were precipitated by it. This information is presented below as a timeline.
- 1436- Gutenberg Press was invented, allowing for rapid mass printing.
- 1455- Gutenberg Bible was first printed, disseminating almost two hundred copies of the Bible to the masses.
- Fall of 1510- Luther was sent to Rome.
- June 1511- In Praise of Folly is published. Written by a religious scholar named Desiderius Erasmus, it is widely considered a precursor to the bolder Lutheran rhetoric. In later years, Erasmus decried Luther's ideals and would openly debate him over his views on the Church.
- 1517- Pope Leo X declares the sale of indulgences to rebuild Saint Petersburg Cathedral.
- October 31, 1517- Luther nails his 95 Theses to the door of Castle Church in Wittenburg.
- October-November, 1518- Luther is summoned to a trial where he refuses to recant and is subsequently sheltered by Frederick of Saxony.
- June 28, 1519- Charles V elected Holy Roman Emperor.
- June 15, 1520- Pope Leo X issues a papal bull demanding Luther recant or face ex-communication.
- December 10, 1520- Luther publicly burns the bull in defiance.
- April 17-18, 1521- Luther was summoned to the Diet of Worms, where he refused to recant.
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- May 5, 1521- Charles V issues the Edict of Worms against Luther, declaring him an outlaw and making it illegal to own his writings.
- September 21, 1522- Luther's German New Testament is published.
- July 1, 1523- First Lutheran martyrs John Esch and Heinrich Voes are burned at the stake in Antwerp.
- 1524- The Peasants' War, an uprising fueled by humanist philosophy and largely by the Luthern push for religious reforms, begins.
- 1525- The first Lutheran ordination takes place in Wittenburg.
- 1526- A German law called the Diet of Speyer allows German princes to choose the official religion of their region.
- April 1529- The Second Diet of Speyer first uses the term "Protestant" in reference to Luther's followers.
- November 3, 1534- Henry VIII declares himself head of the Church of England.
- February 18, 1546- Luther dies and is buried four days later at Castle Church.
- April 5, 1552- Charles V was forced to grant limited rights to Lutherans due to the number of Lutheran princes in the Empire.
- September 25, 1555- The Peace of Augsburg is declared by Charles V, granting Lutherans equal rights.
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The effects of the Protestant Reformation in Germany were many, and they occurred over several decades. Beyond influencing German rule and law, such as the Diets of Speyer, it also spread to other nations, such as Sweden and Norway, which declared Lutheran as their state religion. Likewise, Henry VIII famously broke away from the Catholic Church to create his own Church of England.
These things acted in tandem to pressure Charles V into the Peace of Augsburg. Under this treaty, the ruler of any principality was allowed to determine its official religion, echoing the previous German law protecting a prince's right to declare the religion of their realm. It ultimately worked to pacify the region for dozens of years. The Reformation movement was far from complete, and there would still be wars fought over the legitimacy of Protestant faiths to come. Still, after Luther's death and the passing of the Peace of Augsburg, the initial stages of the Reformation had run their course.
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Martin Luther was an Augustine monk who dedicated his life to studying the principles of spiritual justification and whether the Catholic Church acted in the interests of scripture. His primary complaint was the sale of indulgences, wherein the Church promised forgiveness of sins in exchange for money. This move was blatantly fiscal. Luther viewed it as corrupt and misguided. This circumstance was the primary catalyst for his posting of the 95 Theses, which served to voice Luther's disgust with the practice, on the door of Castle Church, in Wittenburg. For this, he is generally seen as the leader of the Protestant Reformation movement.
This movement eventually encompassed not only Germany but vast portions of the Holy Roman Empire, leading to wars, religious schisms, and other violence. It also led to change. Charles V, Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, eventually had no choice but to issue the Peace of Augsburg. This law allowed the princes of any region to declare their official religion, legalizing Lutheranism and pacifying Protestant violence in Europe for the decades to come.
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Video Transcript
The Protestant Reformation
Most people know the term 'the Reformation' deals with unrest between Catholics and Protestants, but do you know why and where it all began? This was a time when new ideas regarding the Christian religion developed, and people began to choose between Catholicism and Protestantism. Catholics believed salvation could be found by completing certain actions like recognizing the sacraments (such as baptism and communion) and confession to a priest. This leaves authority in the hands of the Church. Protestants believed the Church should not have authority over a person's relationship with God. Instead, each person was responsible for reading the Bible for guidance.
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The Reformation occurred in the 16th century and was one of the most important events in history. Many say this event was responsible for leading history into the modern age. As Christians became divided between Catholicism and Protestantism, the religious unity that once held a society together fell apart. This led to the beginning of individual thought and individual opinions regarding religion. Inevitably, this led to free thinking in other areas, like politics, economics and social structure.
Luther Ignites a Revolt
Martin Luther is often credited with starting the Reformation. Luther was unhappy with corruption in the Catholic Church. He thought the Church was selling pardons for sins (called indulgences) without concern of whether the person was legitimately repentant.
Luther believed the Pope should not have ultimate authority. He believed the Bible should hold authority and that each person had as much authority over their own religion as the church officials. Luther nailed 95 theses against indulgences (pardoning of a sin) to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg to display his distaste with the Church. He also said nuns and monks shouldn't be held to their vows as he felt this gave the church more authority.
The Reformation spread throughout Europe. Scholars encouraged many to learn to read Hebrew and Greek so they could study the Bible in its original language. Many people saw this as an opportunity to gain more control over their lives and a break from authority, leading to mass popularity of freethinking ideas.
The Peasant Wars
The life of a peasant at this time was not easy. Because of high taxes and the ownership of all land belonging to royalty, peasants were basically slaves who worked the land without receiving any benefit from it. Peasants faced the heaviest taxes. The clergy and the nobles were exempt from taxes. In addition, costs for basic necessities rose consistently.
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As people began to feel freedom from the authority of the Church, they hungered for freedom from the oppression of their landlords and nobles. Peasants began to revolt against their oppressors, claiming the same divine right that gave Luther the right to rebel. Some peasants even built armies to support them. These uprisings are known as the Peasant Wars. Although many peasants participated in these uprisings, they didn't have firm leadership.
Uprisings took place in various areas. It began in southwestern areas in Germany and spread into what is now Austria. The peasant armies lacked an overall structure and adequate weaponry. Many of the fighters had no experience in military or war tactics. The lack of discipline and organization led to the loss of many peasant lives.
During the wars, monasteries were burned down and their possessions stolen or destroyed. Peasants also attacked the nobles, destroying much of their land and homes. After taking over the town of Weinsberg, the peasants captured the castle and forced the ruling Count and about 70 other nobles to run a gauntlet of pikes, which meant to run between two lines of men with swords continuously attacking their victims. However, at Frankenhausen, thousands of peasants faced a prince's army along with mercenaries. Without adequate weaponry and leadership, thousands of peasants were slaughtered.
The nobles became more reliant upon the ruling princes who may have been the only beneficiaries of the wars. As the Peasant Wars came to an end, the peasants were again placed under strict regulations by their oppressors.
Luther admired the peasants for their ceaseless work in a harsh economy. He offered strict criticism to nobles for the unjust way they treated their workers. The peasant uprisings were condemned by Luther, however, who was against the violent acts of the peasants. Peasants claimed they had biblical authority to demand economic reform, but Luther also disagreed with this claim. He became so disgusted with the violence of the uprising he encouraged German princes to defeat the peasants to protect their authority. The peasants felt betrayed by Luther, and many abandoned the efforts of the Reformation altogether and returned to Catholicism.
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While Luther withdrew his support of the peasant uprising, the peasants did find support in a well-known Protestant minister named Thomas Müntzer. Müntzer was very supportive of the rights of the peasants and travelled across German provinces to encourage the rebels. Luther, accordingly, also made it known he disagreed with Müntzer's ideals.
The Peace of Augsburg
While the peasants in Germany were revolting, Charles V's empire was facing much unrest. Between 1546 and 1547, Charles V fought against the Schmalkaldic League. They were a group of people who formed an alliance to collectively defend their territories against Charles.
Although Charles defeated the peasants, he still needed to address the unrest caused by the Reformation. A treaty known as the Peace of Augsburg was eventually signed in 1555. This treaty gave the ruler of each German state the right to pick his own religion (Catholicism or Protestantism) as the official religion of his territory. This brought a temporary religious peace to Germany.
Lesson Summary
The Reformation was a turning point in the way people thought. The movement exploded in Germany and spread throughout Europe. The idea of freedom from authority spread to the peasants who revolted against the nobility and royal oppressors. Because the peasants were unpracticed in military technique and lacked adequate resources and weapons, they were unsuccessful in many of the uprisings.
The leader of the Reformation, Martin Luther, did not support the efforts of the peasants. Another prominent Protestant leader, Thomas Müntzer, did offer his support and encouraged peasants to fight for their rights. Unrest continued until the Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V, ruled that it was okay for the ruler of each German state to determine the official religion of his own people by issuing the Peace of Augsburg.
Learning Outcome
When you have finished this lesson, you will have a better understanding of the effects of Martin Luther's Reformation on the peasants in Germany.
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German Protestant Reformation | Definition, Timeline & Effects
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