Protestant Reformation Research Paper

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In 1517, Martin Luther’s posted his 95 Theses on the front door of Wittenberg’s Cathedral with the intent of sparking ecclesiastical discourse and reformation. This small parchment would trigger the Protestant Reformation, which would ultimately shatter Western Europe’s united Catholic identity established over the past 1,137 years. The following social factors: papal corruption, the print revolution and the denial of divorce to King Henry VIII caused the Protestant Reformation, which in turn would evolve into a religious schism across Europe resulting in a cycle of religious turmoil. The Catholic Church’s corruption was a primary cause in the Protestant Reformation and it was exposed by many leading European intellectual and religious figures…show more content…
As Machiavelli said, “we Italians are irreligious and corrupt above others, because the Church and her representatives set us the worst example.” These Christian humanists later on influenced John Calvin’s influential commentary “you either labor under a delusion as to the term church, or, at least, knowingly and willingly give it a gloss” (Levack, Muir and Veldman, 2011, p.445) in response to Sadoleto’s letter to the Genevans, which gained more followers for the Protestant…show more content…
Although his original 95 Theses were handwritten, soon after being posted on the doors of St. Wittenberg’s Cathedral, they were distributed to the public. The public in turn would share these works at the printing centers in over 200 major cities, which would become the primary producers of Protestant Reformation works. The printed propaganda included pamphlets detailing the reformists’ ideas to the tenants of society. This breakthrough technology was a catalyst to the Protestant Reformation because it caused knowledge about the wrongdoings of the church to become widespread throughout the population, which helped gain more followers for the Reformation. Throughout Henry VIII’s lifetime, he continuously affirmed to being Catholic. However, for political practicality, he ostracized the Pope from home affairs, whether political or ecclesiastical. In 1529, he granted harsh alterations in constitution regarding an order to get a money bill passed by the Commons. Nonetheless, he maintained numerous of the old axioms, without checking them for himself in light of the

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