Outline: Martin Luther and the Reformation

I.  General Problems in the Church
     a.  The Babylonian Captivity
     b.  The Schism
     c.  Absent clergy
II.  Humanist critique of medieval approach to learning and its application to theology:
     a.  Valla and the Donation of Constantine
     b.  Erasmus
          i.   Novum Instrumentum -- 1516
          ii.  critique of scholasticism
                    The Praise of Folly
                    The Paraclesis
                    The Philosophy of Christ
          iii.  critique of corruption in the church
          iv.  outer manifestations vs.  inner piety
          v.  reform within the church
III.  Martin Luther
     a.  Tetzel and the sale of indulgences
          i.  The 95 Theses -- 1517
     b.  Luther and Sin:
          i.  A God of wrath and Vengeance
          ii.  the storm and St.  Agnes
          iii.  confession and more confession to Staupitz
          iv.  Luther's first Mass
     c.  Justification by Faith
          i.  The Freedom of a Christian -- 1520
          ii.  man's inner and outer natures
                    the inner cannot be touched by the outer
                    the nature of the commandments
                    philology -- BE penitent vs.  DO penance
          iii.  only one thing is necessary for the Christian --
                    the Word of God
                    despair and faith
     d.  The Consequences of the Freedom of a Christian
          i.  On the Babylonian Captivity of the Christian Church 1520
                    only three sacraments can be justified in scripture:  baptism, the eucharist, and marriage
                    rejection of the deutero-canonical books --- the creation of the Protestant Bible
          ii.  The Address to the Christian Nobility of the
                 German Nation -- 1520
                    the three walls of the papacy:
                         pope over King
                         only the pope can summon a church council
                         only the pope can interpret scripture
                    Luther's ideas tumbled these three walls
                    ALL CHRISTIANS ARE OF THE SAME ESTATE
     e.  Broad Consequences of Luther's work:
               Kings just as good as popes
               peasants equal to kings -- Peasant's revolts
               Laity as able to interpret scripture as popes -- everyone is their own priest!
               Chalice for all
               Masses in language of the people -- English,
               German, etc.  vs.  the Latin of the Catholic Church
               no candles, saints, incense -- inner cannot be affected by outer
               no more monasteries:  Luther marries an ex-nun
               No celibate clergy -- emphasized marriage
               New role for Women -- religious education in the home
               New emphasis on the family
               literalism and the word
     f.  Luther's condemnation --
               the Edict of Worms -- 1521
               HERE I STAND -- I CAN DO NO OTHER!!!
     g.  The revolt of the peasants and the Peace of Agusburg -- 1555
               "cuius regio eius religio"
 

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