The Reforme And Indulgence And The Development Of The Protestant Reformation

The Reformation also known as the protestant reformation occurred in 16th century and was pioneered by Martin Luther, and was continued by John Calvin and other protestant reformers. The initiation was the publishing of Luther’s 95 theses condemning the church for the sale of indulgences, making penance and indulgences a key issue leading to the reformation. This was because the reformers viewed indulgences and penance not of the authority of the Church and distancing the people from God by encouraging sin. The major argument of the reformation was that the Church and Pope did not hold the authority that was said they held, and that there was corruption in Rome. The development of the printing press was significant in the development of the

Penance (Poenitentia in Latin) is the process by which Christian’s sought to atone for their sins through confession, through penitential acts which demonstrated their repentance, and through good works, in order to ensure their salvation. Penance was designed as a form of preventive measure to protect christens from their sinful mortal life and the effects of it on their immortal life. In the early days of penance, it was a very public matter but latter become private due to death bed penance. Early medieval penance involved a public ritual that occurred during Lent. At the beginning the bishop led the public ritual of penance where the sinners confessed their sinners and dressed in sackcloth. The sinners joined a group of penitents and were expelled from the church.1 A similar public ritual was held on Maundy

The ideas of penance and indulgences contributed to the reformation through the farther of the reformation, Martin Luther. Martin Luther was a key player in the reformation as he turned his back on the Catholic church and developed his own doctrine with much support. He found little peace from penance and indulgences and struggled with God, which led to him breaking away from Catholic ideas and developed his own understanding of faith. Luther believed that salvation came from faith and trust in Christ alone and did not come from the Church. He stated that the church has no authority to pardon people’s sins and that the Pope had no authority over purgatory. Luther wrote 95 theses that attacked the Church for the sale of indulgences as he viewed it as a corrupt practice which was not relevant to divine forgiveness. He believed that the sale of indulgences increased sinning and gave false assurance keeping people from knowing God. Luther’s criticism of the indulgences led to drop in indulgence sales.3 The support that was given to Luther around his doctrine and ideas led to the split from the Catholic church leading to the reformation. John Calvin, another reformer whose view broke away from the catholic church and contributed to the reformation, viewed penance as unnecessary as he believed all sins,