Protestant Reformation Dbq

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The Protestant Reformation occurred during the Sixteenth century questioning the church. There were many things long term and short term that generated the Protestant Reformation. Some long term events that drew a spark are, the church gaining power by forming an alliance with Italian princes for political power. Also, the church abusing its power by selling indulgences and having a tax on the church. People did not like what the church was becoming, so people like Martin Luther and Henry VII tried to cease what was happening in the church. Overtime, people started to rebel because they were poverty-stricken and could not pay the church’s tax. Throughout the middle ages the church was seeking power to grow and spread Christianity. The growth …show more content…

“He did this because a priest named Johann Tetzel was offering indulgences to any Christian who offered or contributed money for the rebuilding of St. Peter’s Cathedral in Rome. The reason Martin Luther was so furious was because the people who did not have money could not get into heaven.” (Ellis and Esler 425) The 95 Theses was the outcome of Johann Tetzel’s actions. This was a list of arguments about indulgences and why it should be stopped. Many people were impacted and had a deep thought on what the church was really doing. Soren Kierkegaard was one of those people he said, “O Luther, you had 95 Theses . . . The matter is far more terrible-there is only one thesis. The Christianity of the New Testament does not exist at all. Here there is nothing to reform.” - (http://www.azquotes.com/quote/1125188) Soren Kierkegaard is saying that there is even more arguments about indulgences and if the Church keeps doing this there will be no New Testament at all. “After the 95 Theses was published vast debates about indulgences were occurring and many people started to really think about how the Church was deceiving them for their money. The Church acted against this and Pope Leo X excommunicates Luther. Soon after this happened the new Holy Roman emperor, Charles V ordered Martin Luther to give up and that if anyone was to help him it was considered a crime.” (Ellis and Esler 425) …show more content…

“The printing press allowed him to translate the bible into vernacular which was German.”(Ellis and Esler 426) People started to follow him because he showed everyone that the Roman Catholic Church was using them for money and “buy themselves into heaven.” “Lutheranism main differences between Christianity was that there was no indulgences, confession pilgrimages, and prayers to saints.” (Ellis and Esler 246) Martin Luther did not want to be praised for what he has done because he

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