History of the Reformation: Luther, Calvin, and Anglicanism

The Origins of the Protestant Reformation

Martin Luther initiated the challenge to the Catholic Church in 1517 with the publication of his 95 Theses, which criticized ecclesiastical doctrine and hierarchy. Luther denied the value of indulgences and the Church's power to grant them, proposing a new form of spirituality. His movement was supported by German princes and nobles eager to access Church property and strengthen their authority against Emperor Charles V and the Pope.

Core Principles of Lutheranism

• Faith: The primary means of salvation.
• Universal Priesthood: The belief that all believers have direct access to God.
• Biblical Authority: The Bible as the sole source of religious truth.

The Spread of Protestantism

As Protestantism spread across Europe, new doctrines emerged, including Calvinism and Anglicanism.

Calvinism

Propagated by John Calvin, this movement was more radical than Lutheranism. It argued that only some people are predestined for salvation, a concept known as predestination. In this doctrine, hard work is considered a moral virtue, and success in business is associated with divine grace.

Anglicanism

Anglicanism emerged in England under King Henry VIII. When Pope Clement VII refused to annul his marriage to Catherine of Aragon, Henry VIII passed the Act of Supremacy, splitting from Rome and declaring himself the supreme head of the Church of England.

The Catholic Counter-Reformation

The rapid spread of the Protestant Reformation convinced religious authorities of the need to halt its expansion. This effort followed a dual path: the persecution of Protestants and the internal reform of the Church.

Combating Protestantism

To suppress those who deviated from Church tenets, the Pope restored the Inquisition in 1542, particularly in Italy and Spain. This ecclesiastical court was responsible for identifying and punishing heretics.

Censorship and Prosecution

The Church also established the Congregation of the Index, which published a list of books contrary to Catholic doctrine that were forbidden to believers. Suspects accused of heresy were prosecuted through a ceremony known as an auto de fe. In this ceremony, the convicted were required to abjure their beliefs; those who refused were often punished at the stake.