Reformation
A 16th-century movement that challenged Catholic authority and birthed Protestantism.
The Reformation, also known as the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation, was a major theological movement in Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the papacy and the authority of the Catholic Church hierarchy. Towards the end of the Renaissance, the Reformation marked the beginning of Protestantism and is considered one of the events that signified the end of the Middle Ages and the beginning of the early modern period in Europe.
- field
- Theology, Church history
- known_for
- Challenging papal authority, initiating Protestantism
- starting_date
- Usually dated from Martin Luther's publication of the Ninety-five Theses in 1517
- key_movements
- Lutheranism, Calvinism, Radical Reformation, Catholic Reformation/Counter-Reformation
Lore & Background
The Reformation is usually dated from Martin Luther's publication of the Ninety-five Theses in 1517, which gave birth to Lutheranism. Prior to Luther and other Protestant Reformers, there were earlier reform movements within Western Christianity. The spread of Gutenberg's printing press provided the means for the rapid dissemination of religious materials in the vernacular. The initial movement in Saxony, Germany, diversified, and nearby other reformers such as the Swiss Huldrych Zwingli and the French John Calvin developed the Continental Reformed tradition. Within a Reformed framework, Thomas Cranmer and John Knox led the Reformation in England and Scotland, respectively, giving rise to Anglicanism and Presbyterianism.
Reader's Guide
The Reformation fundamentally reshaped Western Christianity and European society. In general, the Reformers argued that justification was based on faith in Jesus Christ alone, not both faith and charitable acts as in the Catholic view. Protestantism introduced new ecclesiology, and the general points of theological agreement have been summarized as the three solae, though denominations disagree on doctrines such as the nature of Christ's presence in the Eucharist. The period also saw the rise of Radical Reformers such as the Anabaptists, who sought to return to early Christian practices. The Counter-Reformation comprised the Catholic response, with the Council of Trent clarifying disputed positions and abuses. The consequent European wars of religion saw the deaths of between seven and seventeen million people. The term 'Reformation' covers four major movements: Lutheranism, Calvinism, the Radical Reformation, and the Catholic Reformation or Counter-Reformation. Historians often use the plural form to emphasize that it was not a uniform phenomenon but the result of parallel movements.
Did You Know?
- The spread of Gutenberg's printing press enabled rapid dissemination of religious materials in the vernacular during the Reformation.
- The Reformation is considered one of the events that signified the end of the Middle Ages and the beginning of the early modern period in Europe.
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