Why did the Protestant Reformation Happen? (Video)
The Protestant Reformation, often attributed solely to Martin Luther's 95 theses, was a multifaceted movement with roots deeply embedded in the challenges faced by Western Christianity. Luther's critique emerged not only from the sale of indulgences but also from his exposure to the spiritual decay in Rome during his mission. Disillusioned, Luther questioned the prevailing notion that salvation depended on both divine grace and human deeds.
The advent of the printing press facilitated the dissemination of his ideas, enabling a broader audience to engage directly with the Bible.
Simultaneously, in Switzerland, Huldrych Zwingli and later John Calvin spearheaded a reformation, echoing Luther's sentiments but pushing the theological boundaries even further.
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In England, Henry VIII's political motives intertwined with religious reform, giving rise to the Anglican Church. These diverse movements converged to challenge the Catholic Church's authority. The Counter-Reformation, initiated by Pope Paul III, marked the Catholic Church's response, culminating in the Council of Trent. While attempts were made to reaffirm traditional doctrines, internal divisions hindered progress until Pope Pius IV reinstated the council in 1562. Despite efforts to quell the rising Protestant tide, the Reformation had irreversibly altered the landscape of Christianity, paving the way for diverse denominations and shaping the course of religious history.
Top image: AI representation of Martin Luther nailing his 95 Theses to the door of the castle church in Wittenberg in 1517. Source: Nevio/ Adobe Stock
Comments
You rightly state that the spiritual decay. But more than this, true Christians had recognised from the early days that the papacy was degenerate and didn’t represent Christ.
The Waldenses and Huegonots certainly recongnised this before Luther and the antichrist papacy had them slaughtered.
Why did the reformation happen? Because naive Christians actually thought the antichrist seat could be reformed to true Christian beliefs. They didn’t seem to fully grasp that the papacy was a tool of the devil to destroy Christ’s followers from within.
The just causes that led to Protestant reformation, which did not include a Tudor king's ego, saw a split from a monolithic Catholic Church where sinful ways were widespread.
However, the diverse Protestant denominations that have since sprung up have created another problem, because division tempts conquest. Pagan Rome was a past master at using such divide and conquer tactics and Catholic, that is to say - Luciferian Jesuit, Rome has similar traits.
Thus, Protestantism is no stranger to sin, either. The Anglican Church is the prime example of this, as are many charismatic evangical movements, but the problem is more widespread than that.
The most sinful Ba'al worship mentioned in the Old Testament never died out. It just went underground, into Judaism, especially, but also into Christianity and other faiths, hiding skilfully in some and barely bothering to hide in others.