German and English nobility disliked Italian domination of the Church.

The Church’s great political power and wealth caused conflict.

Church corruption and the sale of indulgences were widespread and caused conflict.

Views: Salvation by faith alone, Bible as the ultimate authority, all humans equal before God

Actions: 95 theses, birth of the Protestant Church

Views: Predestination, faith revealed by living a righteous life, work ethic

Actions: Expansion of the Protestant Movement 

Views: Dismissed the authority of the Pope in Rome

Actions: Divorced; broke with Rome; headed the national church in England; appropriated lands and wealth of the Roman Catholic Church in England

Anglican Church

Tolerance for dissenters

Expansion and colonialism

Victory over the Spanish Armada (1588)

Princes in Northern Germany converted to Protestantism, ending the authority of the Pope in their states.

The Hapsburg family and the authority of the Holy Roman Empire continued to support the Roman Catholic Church.

Conflict between Protestants and Catholics resulted in devastating wars (e.g., Thirty Years’ War).

Catholic monarchy granted Protestant Huguenots freedom of worship by the Edict of Nantes (later revoked).

Cardinal Richelieu changed the focus of the Thirty Years’ War froma religious to a political conflict.

Dissenters prior to Martin Luther: Jan Huss, John Wycliffe

Counter-Reformation:

The Council of Trent reaffirmed most Church doctrine and practices.

The Society of Jesus (The Jesuits) was founded to spread Catholic doctrine around the world.

The Inquisition was used to reinforce Catholic doctrine.

Growth of individualism

Eventual growth of religious tolerance

The Bible was printed in English, French, and German.These factors had an important impact on spreading the ideas of the Reformation and the Renaissance.