CHHI 515-D08 - Preparation for the Reformation - Elke Speliopoulos Module 1

With the papacy weakened by the Great Schism of 1054, which had produced a division of allegiances in Western Europe, the beginning of the Renaissance a few centuries later produced a number of leaders in the church who were more enamored with the elements of the time period they lived in and the opportunities it offered rather than with the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.1 Practices crept into the church that had no biblical foundation, such as simony, which brought more men to roles that should not have been theirs. The corruption within the leadership of the church trickled down to the clergy and even reached the monasteries. Behaviors considered unthinkable in centuries past became the norm and were condoned.2 Yet in the midst of this corruption and lack of discipline another influence arose. Scholars from Constantinople, driven out when it fell to the Ottoman Empire, brought manuscripts and ideas to the West that challenged established thinking. The apprehension of ancient languages rose, and scholars were able to compare biblical texts, leading them to an understanding that there had been departures from both doctrine and practice that required correction, or reform. 3 The feudal systems were in decline, allowing new discontent to arise as the common people realized that the church would not be able to meet their needs. Many power struggles arose in Western Europe, bringing with them the perceived need to control those who would counter, also in the theological realm. In Spain in particular, the Inquisition sought to reign in other religious groups and dissenting voices. Both Jews, who had lived in Spain for many centuries, and Moors, who had been a conquering force on the Iberian Peninsula before losing control, were subjected to persecution and torture.4
1. Justo L. Gonzlez, The Story of Christianity, Volume II: The Reformation to the Present Day (New York, NY: HarperOne, 2010), 7. 2. Ibid., 8. 3. Ibid., 9. 4. Ibid., 12.

CHHI 515-D08 - Preparation for the Reformation - Elke Speliopoulos Module 1

Other influences pushing Western Europe towards the Reformation were the discovery of the New World, increase in travel to parts of the world, which were up until then largely unknown, such as Asia, advances in the sciences, and most importantly, the invention of the printing press.5 Behind all this stood a true desire, flamed by voices such as Erasmus, to bring light into the darkness of the Dark Ages and to return to both the teaching of and the obedience to the Scriptures. While some thought this could be done with reforms from the inside, others felt more drastic steps were needed to bring about change. With these elements, the Reformation had found its intellectual, political and spiritual undergirding.

5. Ibid., 13-14.

CHHI 515-D08 - Preparation for the Reformation - Elke Speliopoulos Module 1

BIBLIOGRAPHY Gonzlez, Justo L. The Story of Christianity, Volume II: The Reformation to the Present Day. New York, NY: HarperOne, 2010.