Expert: Brenda Martin - 11/4/2004

Question
discuss the movements and imporant figures engaged in reforming the church in the middle ages . in what ways did they seek reform? what were the important doctrines , beliefs , or practices that they rejected? what doctrines , beliefs, or practices did the reformers emphasize? what is the relevance of this discussion to the current condition of the church?

2. what social or political factors affected christainity in the middle ages?what impact did these factors have upon the church? what do these factors tell us about the relationship between christianity and culture? what current social or political factors aer impacting christianity today?

Answer
"THE IMPORTANT FIGURES ENGAGED IN REFORMING THE CHURCH IN THE MIDDLE AGES?"

“The real tragedy of the medieval church is that it failed to move with the times. . . . Far from being progressive, far from giving a spiritual lead, it was retrograde and decadent, corrupt in all its members.” So says the book The Story of the Reformation about the powerful Roman Catholic Church, which had dominated most of Europe from the 5th century to the 15th century C.E.

Many were disgusted by the wealth and corruption of the clergy. Ones like--

Aonio Paleario
John Wycliffe
Jan Hus

Another early Reformer was the Dominican monk Girolamo Savonarola (1452-98) of the San Marcos monastery in Florence, Italy.

Catholic priest Ulrich Zwingli (1484-1531) started his reform movement in Zurich, Switzerland.

If a decisive starting point of the Protestant Reformation has to be given, it would be October 31, 1517, when the Augustinian monk Martin Luther (1483-1546) nailed his 95 theses to the door of the castle church at Wittenberg in the German state of Saxony.

Early Efforts at Reform

Not only men like Erasmus and Machiavelli but also by the church itself noted the crisis in the church. Church councils were convened to address some of the complaints and abuses, but with no lasting results. The popes, basking in personal power and glory, discouraged any real efforts at reform.

Had the church been more serious at housecleaning, there would possibly have been no Reformation. But, as it was, cries for reform began to be heard from inside and outside the church. Men like the Waldenses and the Albigenses. Though they were condemned as heretics and ruthlessly crushed, they had awakened in the people dissatisfaction with the abuses of the Catholic clergy and had kindled a desire to return to the Bible. Such sentiments found their expression in a number of early Reformers.

Protests From Within the Church

Often referred to as “the morning star of the Reformation,” John Wycliffe (1330?-84) was a Catholic priest and a professor of theology at Oxford, England.

IN WHAT WAYS DID THEY SEEK REFORM?

John Wycliffe; Well aware of the abuses in the church, wrote and preached against such matters as corruption in the monastic orders, papal taxation, the doctrine of transubstantiation (the claim that the bread and wine used in the Mass literally change into the body and blood of Jesus Christ), the confession, and church involvement in temporal affairs. Wycliffe was particularly outspoken when it came to the church's neglect in teaching the Bible.

To this end, Wycliffe, in the last years of his life, undertook the task of translating the Latin Vulgate Bible into English. With the help of his associates, particularly Nicholas of Hereford, he produced the first complete Bible in the English language. It was undoubtedly Wycliffe's greatest contribution to mankind's search for God.

Jan Hus preached against the corruption of the Roman Church and stressed the importance of reading the Bible. This quickly brought the wrath of the hierarchy upon him. In 1403 the authorities ordered him to stop preaching the antipapal ideas of Wycliffe, whose books they also publicly burned. Hus, however, went on to write some of the most stinging indictments against the practices of the church, including the sale of indulgences. He was condemned and excommunicated in 1410.

Girolamo Savonarola (1452-98) of the San Marcos monastery in Florence, Italy, spoke out against the corruption in both Church and State. Claiming as a basis Scripture, as well as visions and revelations that he said he had received, he sought to establish a Christian state, or theocratic order.

Zwingli began to preach against indulgences, Mariolatry, clerical celibacy, and other doctrines of the Catholic Church. Though Zwingli claimed independence from Luther, he agreed with Luther in many areas and distributed Luther's tracts throughout the country. In contrast with the more conservative Luther, however, Zwingli advocated the removal of all vestiges of the Roman Church—images, crucifixes, clerical garb, even liturgical music.

Zwingli continued to preach his reform doctrines in Zurich and effected many changes there. Other cities soon followed his lead.

Some Protestants, however, felt that the Reformers did not go far enough in renouncing the shortcomings of the Catholic papist church. Therefore, they rejected infant baptism and insisted on separation of Church and State.

"WHAT WERE THE DOCTRINES, BELIEFS, OR PRACTICES THAT THEY REJECTED?"

In Luther's time, PAPAL INDULGENCES were publicly sold not only for the living but also for the dead. “As soon as the coin in the coffer rings, the soul from Purgatory springs” was a common saying. To ordinary folk, an indulgence became almost an insurance policy against punishment for any sin, and repentance fell by the wayside. “Everywhere” wrote Erasmus, “the remission of purgatorial torment is sold; nor is it sold only, but forced upon those who refuse it.”

What were the fundamental points that divided the Protestants from the Roman Catholics? According to Luther, there were three. First, Luther believed that salvation results from “justification by faith alone” (Latin, sola fide) and not from priestly absolution or works of penance. Second, he taught that forgiveness is granted solely because of God's grace (sola gratia) and not by the authority of priests or popes. Finally, Luther contended that all doctrinal matters are to be confirmed by Scripture only (sola scriptura) and not by popes or church councils.

In spite of this, Luther, says The Catholic Encyclopedia, “retained as much of the ancient beliefs and liturgy as could be made to fit into his peculiar views on sin and justification.”

"WHAT DOCTRINES, BELIEFS, OR PRACTICES DID THE REFORMERS EMPHASIZE?"

The Lutherans demanded certain changes, such as that the people be allowed to receive both wine and bread at Communion and that celibacy, monastic vows, and compulsory confession be abolished.

As a whole, the Reformation, as advocated by Luther and his followers, succeeded in breaking from the papal yoke.

"THE CURRENT CONDITION OF THE CHURCH?"

The Lutheran faith, (Protestant) as outlined in the Augsburg Confession, includes such unscriptural doctrines as the Trinity, immortal soul, and eternal torment, as well as such practices as infant baptism and church holidays and feasts.(first held by Catholics) It can be said that with Martin Luther, mankind's search for the true God only took a new turn; the narrow path of truth was still far off.

I hope this is a good start.
All the best
Brenda