German and English Reformation

Painting of Martin Luther as an Augustine monk.

Martin Luther as an Augustinian Monk

For centuries, the Roman Catholic Church was the unquestioned leader of Christians living in Western Europe. Because of its dominant position, the Church was resistant to change and was not tolerant of criticism of its actions and practices.

Eventually, some theologians, such as Martin Luther, began to question different Church beliefs and found that the Church was not open to reform. By openly challenging the Catholic Church and its leaders, these theologians started the Protestant Reformation. Ultimately, the Protestant Reformation resulted in the creation of new political and economic institutions, and the diminished power of the Catholic Church.

Essential Questions

  • What were the problems and issues that provoked religious reform in Western Christianity?
  • What were the beliefs of Martin Luther, John Calvin, Henry VIII, and Elizabeth I?
  • What were some of the changing cultural values, traditions, and philosophies during the Reformation?
  • What was the role of the printing press in the spread of new ideas?