Protestant Reformation
Definition
The Protestant Reformation was a major 16th century European movement aimed initially at reforming the beliefs and practices of the Roman Catholic Church. Its religious aspects were supplemented by ambitious political rulers who wanted to extend their power and control at the expense of the Church.
Analogy
Think of the Protestant Reformation like a software update on your phone. Just as an update aims to fix bugs and improve functionality, the Reformation sought to correct what Martin Luther and others saw as errors and corruption in the Catholic Church.
Related terms
Martin Luther: A German monk who became one of the most famous critics of the Roman Catholic Chruch. In 1517, he wrote 95 thesis, or statements of belief attacking church practices.
Indulgences: Selling these was a common practice by catholic church which allowed a remission of temporal punishment due for sins which have already been forgiven. They were criticized especially by those who believed that salvation should be attained through faith alone.
Council of Trent: This was one of the Roman Catholic Church's most important ecumenical councils. Prompted by the Protestant Reformation, it has been described as the embodiment of Counter-Reformation.
"Protestant Reformation" appears in:
Subjects (2)
Study guides (6)
AP European History - 1.3 Northern Renaissance
AP European History - 1.4 Printing
AP European History - 2.1 Contextualizing 16th and 17th-Century Challenges and Developments
AP European History - 2.3 Protestant Reform Continues
AP European History - 3.6 Balance of Power
AP European History - 4.1 Contextualizing the Scientific Revolution and the Enlightenment
Additional resources (1)
Practice Questions (20+)
- What was the main catalyst for the Protestant Reformation during the Northern Renaissance?
- Who is credited with initiating the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century?
- How did the Protestant Reformation impact the authority of the Catholic Church?
- How did the Protestant Reformation contribute to the spread of literacy and education in Europe?
- Which of the following was a key figure in the Protestant Reformation?
- The Protestant Reformation originated in which country?
- Who famously published the first complete translation of the Bible in English during the Protestant Reformation?
- During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Protestant Reformation and the Catholic Counter-Reformation led to:
- The Protestant Reformation challenged the authority of the:
- The Protestant Reformation led to:
- During the Renaissance and Protestant Reformation periods, humanism led to:
- Which document was written by Martin Luther, marking the beginning of the Protestant Reformation?
- How did the Protestant Reformation benefit from Gutenberg's printing press?
- Who authored the 95 Theses, a primary source document written during the Protestant Reformation?
- How did moveable type influence political change during the Protestant Reformation?
- What was a major reason for the rapid spread of Protestant Reformation in Europe following the invention of the printing press?
- How did the printing of Martin Luther's 95 Theses in European vernacular languages impact the spread and acceptance of Protestant Reformation ideas?
- Who was primarily targeted by Martin Luther's Ninety-Five Theses during the Protestant Reformation?
- Who among the following was instrumental in sparking the Protestant Reformation by nailing his 95 Theses to a church door in Wittenberg?
- The Protestant Reformation was sparked by whose criticisms against Catholic Church practices?
Resources
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