The Protestant Reformation: A Historical Overview
Santa Teresa
Santa Teresa was born in 1515 in Avila, Spain. Her father and mother were noble Castilians. Teresa was the sixth of twelve children. Raised in a Christian environment, at 15 her father sent her to the Augustinian convent in Avila. Still a young girl, she lost her mother. Teresa always showed an extroverted and sympathetic character. At age 7, she showed special interest in reading the lives of the saints, which gave way to reading novels of chivalry. Her brother Rodrigo and she had a special sensitivity toward solitude and prayer, and they decided to live as hermits at home.
A Young Woman Strong in Weakness
At age 20, Teresa ran away from home to join the Carmelite convent of the Incarnation. A year later, she made the profession of religious vows. She suffered a serious illness and spent three years in bed. After this time, her health significantly changed.
Her wisdom, kindness, charity, and personal charm won her the esteem of all those around her. Teresa gradually understood that the fundamental aspect of prayer life is to experience God through visions and withdrew to a more solitary life of prayer. In her writings, she describes her ecstasies and revelations.
A Great Friend of God
With financial aid from one of her brothers, Teresa founded the convent of San Jose in Avila. With the support of other religious superiors of the Carmelites, she founded other convents. Teresa led a genuine renewal of the Carmelite order. Their religious lifestyles became more withdrawn, under strict enclosure, and authentic living in poverty. They slept in cells on a straw mattress, engaging in prayer and more humble work. They are called Carmelites because they wore sandals.
Teresa tirelessly toured Spain, founding new monasteries and visiting the established ones.
A Mystical Writer
Teresa wrote the story of her life, many letters, poems, and works on her mystical experience. Her writings are considered masterpieces of Spanish literature. She died on October 4, 1582, at 67 years old. She was canonized in 1622, and in 1970, Paul VI recognized her as a Doctor of the Church. There are approximately 14,000 Discalced Carmelites spread across 835 Carmelite convents, with 3,800 in 490 convents.
Spain, a Powerful Empire
During the sixteenth century, Spain became the most powerful nation in Western Europe. With the monarchy of Philip II, peninsular unity was consolidated, and the colonial empire stretched so vast that “on their lands the sun never set.” Philip II dedicated his efforts to expanding the power of the empire and strengthening Catholicism against Protestantism. Spain, as the front of the Catholic Church, experienced a period of economic and social prosperity during this time.
A Highly Stratified Society
The nobility and the clergy possessed most of the lands and positions of power in the court. They were jealous and opposed to any reform that would put their privileges in danger.
Most of the population lived in the countryside, working the lands of the nobles and clergy in harsh conditions, living in poorly ventilated and small homes. The bourgeoisie of the cities had little importance in Spain. There were also ethnic minorities such as Moors and converts who were persecuted by the Inquisition.
A Church in Need of Reform
Religious sentiment in the sixteenth century arose as a reaction against Protestantism. Spain became an advocate and stronghold of orthodox Catholicism. It fiercely chased all forms of religious thought that did not align with Catholic principles.
Many church institutions were already outdated and unresponsive to the hopes of Christians. Some men and women dedicated themselves to undertaking a reform of the church.
Glossary
- Convert: Refers to a person who has converted to Christianity, particularly those mentioned above who were Muslim or Jewish.
- Moorish: Referred to a Muslim who remained in Spain after the end of Muslim rule and was forcibly converted to Christianity.
- Greek Orthodox: Orthos (straight) and doxa (opinion/belief) in accordance with the principles of a doctrine, an ideology, or a determined mindset.
New Situation in Europe
The fifteenth century brought a major change in lifestyle and the notion that man had of himself. This change is called the Renaissance. Major renovations occurred in:
- Home economy of international trade and banking
- Politics: National states and strong monarchies arose
- Conception of life: Rise of individualism, critical sense toward authority, and affirmation of personal liberty
A Church in Need of Changes
Some popes and bishops were more concerned with the arts and maintaining their power than the spirituality of believers. The lower clergy had a less than exemplary life. The people lived a faith heavily influenced by the fear of doomsday and hell.
One of the first voices of change was the Christian humanist Erasmus of Rotterdam (1469-1536), who proposed the translation of the Bible into the languages spoken by the faithful.
Luther and the Protestant Reformation
Martin Luther (1483-1546) was one of the protagonists of the religious and political events of the fifteenth century. An Augustinian monk of German origin, he was a professor of Sacred Scripture at the University of Wittenberg.
Luther was shocked by the proclamation of a plenary indulgence by Pope Leo X. He argued that no money can buy grace and salvation, only God gives them freely.
In 1517, Luther fixed 95 theses against indulgences on the door of his “castle” in Wittenberg. When he refused to retract, he was excommunicated by the Pope in 1521. He began a period of his life full of activity, with manifestos and writings where he voiced his teachings and opposition to the Church of Rome.
Luther argued that:
- Each person is the sole interpreter of Scripture.
- The only thing saving is faith in God, not good works.
- The cult of saints, the Virgin, and indulgences are to be deleted.
- The hierarchy has no power in the church.
The expressions of faith alone, grace alone, Christ alone, Scripture alone define the Protestant faith.
Evils of the Church
- Exaggerated luxury
- Scarce clerical culture
- Relaxation of morals of the clergy
- Sale of church offices
- Sale of bulls and indulgences
The Protestant Reformation in Europe
The Protestant Reformation swept across Europe. In 1534, Henry VIII separated from the Catholic Church to proclaim himself the head of the Anglican Church. John Calvin implanted the Protestant Reformation in Geneva, Switzerland. He stated that we are all destined by God to be saved or damned.
Catholic Reform
The Catholic Reform was a phase of renewal of the Catholic Church during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. It was the reaction of Catholicism against the Protestant Reformation. A key instrument of the counter-reformation was the Council of Trent.
It was the longest council in history, held from 1545 to 1563 in Trento, convened by Pope Paul III. The council raised two basic purposes: to classify the contents of the faith against the supposed questions of Protestantism and to enact the necessary rules to eliminate abuses and train clergy to better educate Christians.
From Persecution to Dialogue
After the separation of Christians into Catholic and Protestant Christians, both sectors of the Church launched a mutual pursuit.
Catholic Doctrine and Protestant Doctrine
.
The sixteenth century witnessed the division of Western Christians in Protestant and Catholic. There were two ways of conceiving the Christian life in points such as salvation and the church.
– With the theme of salvation, prostestant and Catholics agree that humans are sinful, but as Luther asserts that man is radically powerless to save themselves by works, the Council of Trent says that man is redeemed when it cooperates with the grace of God through their good works.
-to the subject of the church, Protestants argue that this function is to proclaim and teach the word for Christians to have access to it. Catholics believe that in addition to writing also the truths of faith to proclaim the church, from writing with authority.