The Protestant Reformation: Martin Luther and John Calvin

The Protestant Reformation was considered a religious revolution that took place in the Catholic church. Started by Martin Luther, a German monk, and John Calvin. A huge change took place, regarding religious beliefs and whether practices of the Catholic church should be stopped. The religious effects included many issues with the Catholic church’s authority and Luther’s views and anger towards this were let out by the church. Overall, the Reformation became a significant part of Protestantism, which is a major branch of Christianity.

Martin Luther triggered the Reformation in 1517 by posting a document of his '95 Theses' on the door of a Church. These “95 Theses” expressed Luther's concerns about specific Church practices. Martin Luther began the idea of Justification by faith, which means a person could be saved through faith in God and his mercy and love. This belief started a protest, authorizing the sale of indulgences, or a payment of forgiveness.

Following the sale of indulgences, the invention of the printing press came into play. This invention allowed Luther to efficiently distribute a German translated version of the Bible. He felt that the Bible should be varied in different languages to make understanding God’s word easier. Although Martin Luther found this to be a positive change, the Pope and Catholic church reacted to the new change by condemning it. They strongly felt that the Bible should not be changed from the way they lived up to reading it. However, one positive effect for both sides was the new ability to spread their ideas and writing faster and widely.

John Calvin was the leading French Protestant and was one other important figure during the Protestant Reformation. He played a significant part in the Swiss Protestantism, which took place in Switzerland. There, he established theocracy, which was the belief that some of God’s work, was actually the devil. Works such as earthquakes, flooding, and lightning storms were to be considered Satan’s work. This sparked the spread of Calvinism, which was the belief that God possessed all, holding power and knowledge. Along with this, predestination, God’s determination of the fate of every person, was beginning to spread. All of these beliefs started to change the mind of many. This led to the separation of church and state and religious liberty.

Together, Martin Luther and John Calvin were successful in beginning the religious revolution that significantly impacted history today, changing Christianity around the world. The Reformation ended the joining of religions inflicted by important figures and called for a better change of the world.