Age of Reformation

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Martin Luther and John Calvin were two key people in the reform in the Catholic Church. Martin Luther was born in 1483 and died in 1546. He was a monk and educated by Okham whom he took in everything he said, and believed the opposite. In protesting the sale of indulgences, the 95 theses came into place, which started a beginning to the Lutheran religion in the reform. John Calvin was born in 1509 and died in 1564. Calvin had similar beliefs as Luther did, yet his ideas advanced into Calvinism (Christian Theology). The start of this was Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion being his promulgation of his theology.

The methods of Martin Luther in the reform were revolutionary. He stood for justice and rights of the people of God. They should not be treated as customers in the ‘Store of Heaven’. He believed that you did not have to buy indulgences in order to release your loved ones from purgatory. His methods as mentioned earlier branched from doing the complete opposite of what he was educated, from Okham. To him the Catholic Church was corrupt, and needed an intervention. Luther, never feeling true self-gratification by just fasting, praying and repentance, wanted to find partisanship with God. Then concluded that God’s love is a gift to be acknowledged, not a reward.

The methods of John Calvin were controversial. He firmly believed in Predestination, which is God has a divine plan already mapped out. Calvin’s followers were known as Calvinists. With basic beliefs of superiority of faith over good works, a universal priesthood, which means that all believers are considered priests. He then created a pattern in the church (Presbyterian).

Luther’s methods were based on his personal growth with God and changin...

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...as political and civil. He wanted to reach out to society’s believers and the government. Being spawned from law and politics, Calvin wanted to reach to those in his position, helping those who felt tapered down to the Roman Catholic Church a refreshing faithful savior. He also wanted to rise against the council, intending to water-down their perception of authority in the public eye.

Luther and Calvin represent a large range of the break from the Roman Catholic Church into an Age of Reformation. They both believed in God’s undying grace for his children, and were sent as messengers of the Lord. They not only politically changed the church, yet spiritually. Those now all have the right to be apart of any religion they please, and to not feel tied to the Catholic prison. Luther and Calvin represent the upmost strength and voice to a whole new spiritual beginning.

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