Summer 2020

HIS 102: Introduction to World Civilization

Department of History and Philosophy
North South University
LECTURE 11:
CHRISTIANITY: RISE, REFORMATION AND
COUNTERREFORMATION
DR. KAZI MARUFUL ISLAM
kazi.islam07@northsouth.edu
13 August 2020
TALKING POINTS
§ Rise of Christianity
§ Jesus of Nazareth
§ Life and Teachings of Jesus

§ Romans and Christianity

§ Spreads of Christianity

§ Problems of Christian Churches

§ Sects and Breakdowns in Christianity
§ Reform movements

§ Counter reformation
THE RISE OF CHRISTIANITY

§ Christianity arises in Roman-occupied Judea and later

spreads throughout the Roman Empire in next 400 years.

§ It starts to replace the impersonal religious ways of Roman

past, and instead emphasized a personal relationship with
God.
THE RISE OF CHRISTIANITY
The Life and Teachings of Jesus
Romans Conquer Judea
• Around 63 B.C. Rome conquers Judea which was the
home of Jews, it remains independent for the time being.
Eventually the Romans make it a part of their empire
around A.D. 6.
• Many Jews believe a Messiah, or savior, eventually will
free them, as this land had been promised to them by
God. Sometime around 6-4 B.C. this savior would arrive.
 JESUS OF NAZARETH
• • Jesus — a Jew born in Bethlehem (around 6 to 4 B.C.), is
raised in Nazareth
• Little is known of his early life, but around the age of 30, Jesus
was baptized by John the Baptist and had a vision in which he
received the blessing of God.
• After this event, he began a ministry of teaching, healing, and
miracle-working. He spoke of the "kingdom of God,"
condemned religious hypocrites and interpreted the Mosaic
law in new ways
JESUS OF NAZARETH
Ø• At age 30 begins preaching monotheism and the Ten
Commandments
ØHe would do many good works and would reportedly
performs miracles
Ø• Jesus stressed a personal relationship with God, love for
God, friends and enemies. He also promised an eternal
kingdom for those who believed in God and repented their
sins.
 THE LIFE AND TEACHINGS OF JESUS
A Growing Movement
• Historical records of the time talk very little of Jesus, the main
sources of information about his teachings come from
Gospels.
§ These books are thought to be written by his pupils or
disciples. There are four Gospels.
• Apostles—the twelve men who are disciples (or pupils) of
Jesus
• Jesus ignores wealth and status; his message appeals to poor
JESUS’ DEATH
• Many Jews view Jesus as the Messiah. His popularity starts to
concern both Roman and Jewish leaders.
• Roman governor Pontius Pilate sentences Jesus to be crucified
• Apostles believe Jesus ascended into heaven after death
• Christos, Greek word for “savior”; Christianity derived from
“Christ”
CHRISTIANITY SPREADS THROUGH THE EMPIRE
Growth of Christianity
• Followers spread Christianity, at first the followers were Jews, but
a new religion, Christianity, based on Jesus’ teachings comes
about.
Paul’s Mission
• Apostle Paul —spends life preaching and interpreting
Christianity
• Common languages of Latin and Greek help to spread message
• Paul stresses Jesus is the son of God who died for people’s sins
• Paul declares that Christianity open to all converts, which makes it
more than just a local religion.
SPREAD OF
CHRISTIANITY
§ The remainder of the first
century AD saw the number of
Jesus' followers, who were soon
called "Christians," grow
rapidly.

§ Instrumental in the spread of

Christianity was a man named
Paul, a zealous Jew who had
persecuted Christians, then
converted to the faith after
experiencing a vision of the
risen Jesus.
SPREAD OF CHRISTIANITY
§ Taking advantage of the extensive system of Roman roads
and the time of peace, Paul went on numerous missionary
journeys throughout the Roman Empire.
§ He started churches, then wrote letters back to them to offer
further counsel and encouragement.
§ Many of these letters would become part of the Christian
scriptures, the “New Testament."
CHRISTIANITY SPREADS THROUGH THE EMPIRE
Jewish Rebellion
• Jews rebel against Rome; Romans storm Jerusalem, destroy Temple.
The only thing left was the western portion of the wall, which
remains the holiest Jewish shrine today.
• Rebellions in A.D. 66, 70, 132 fail; Jews driven from homeland
• Diaspora—centuries of Jewish exile (from Greek word for
“dispersal”)
Persecution of the Christians
• Christians won’t worship Roman gods, so they become enemies of
Roman rule
• Roman rulers use Christians as scapegoats for hard times
• As Pax Romana crumbles, Christians crucified, burned, killed in arena
 A WORLD RELIGION
Christianity’s Expansion
• Christianity becomes powerful force and its reasons for
widespread appeal were:
- embraces all people
- gives hope to the powerless
- appeals to those repelled by extravagance of Roman life
- offers personal relationship with a loving God
- promises eternal life after death
 A WORLD RELIGION
Constantine Accepts Christianity
• Constantine—Roman emperor battles for control of Rome in
A.D. 312
• He has vision of cross before battle, Christian symbol, so he
places the cross on soldiers’ shields
• Believes Christian God helped him win, so he eventually
legalizes Christianity
• In A.D. 380 Emperor Theodosius makes Christianity religion of
empire.
https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/world-
history/ancient-medieval/christianity/v/roman-empire-and-
christianity?modal=1
 A WORLD RELIGION
Early Christian Church Structure:
• Priests direct a single church; bishops supervise numerous
churches
• Apostle Peter—first bishop of Rome; clergy trace their
authority to him. Becomes first pope.
• Pope—the father, or head, of Christian Church; Rome, center
of Church
 A WORLD RELIGION
A Single Voice
• Church leaders compile standard Christian beliefs in New Testament,
to keep disputes over what should be taught from happening.
• New Testament added to Hebrew Bible (also called Old Testament)
The Fathers of the Church
• Early writers and scholars of teachings were called Fathers of the
Church
• Augustine, bishop in North Africa, one of the most important Fathers
• Stressed following God’s will.
• Wrote famous book, The City of God
 THE CHURCH’S PROBLEMS
§ Charges of greed
§ Worldly political power challenged
§ Weariness of dependence on the Church and the constraints
it enforced
§ Growing human confidence vs. “original sin”
§ Catholic church becomes defensive in the face of criticism
§ The confusing nature of scholasticism
 THE CHURCH’S PROBLEMS (CONT)
§ The corruption of the Renaissance Papacy
--Rodrigo Borgia
§ European population was increasingly anti-clerical
§ Absenteeism of church leaders
--Antoine de Prat
§ The controversy over the sale of indulgences
EARLY REFORMERS
§ John Wycliffe (1324-1384)
§ Interested in authority of clergy.
§ People should be able to interpret
and read the Bible on their own.
§ Lived during Western Schism
(more than one pope).
§ This caused questioning about
Papal Authority.
 EARLY REFORMERS CONT…
§ Jan Hus (1369-1415)
§ He wanted Bishops elected and
not appointed by Pope.
§ At the Council of Constance, he
made his case but he was burned
at the stake for his beliefs.
§ Spiritual leader of the Moravian
Church.
 EARLY REFORMERS CONT…
§ Erasmus (1466-1536)
§ Erasmus remained committed to
reforming the Church from within.
§ He also held to Catholic doctrines
such as that of free will.
§ Which some Protestant Reformers
rejected in favor of the doctrine of
predestination.
IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENTS IN THE PROCESS TO
REFORMATION!
§ The Printing Press!!!!
§ Books are now available to the
masses not just the rich! (Faster
production=cheaper books)
§ People have access to books
whenever they want them.
§ How does this relate to the
Reformation? Explain your
answer?
Printing Press = 3,600 pages per workday
Hand Printing = 40 pages per workday
WHAT IS THE PROTESTANT REFORMATION?
§ Protestant Reformation- a religious movement in the
1500’s that split the Christian church in western Europe
and led to the establishment of a number of new churches.

§ People grew displeased with the churches…

§ Financial Corruption
§ Abuse of Power
§ Immorality
WHAT HAPPENS TO SPARK THE REFORMATION?
§ Pope Leo X needs money to build St.
Peter’s Basilica…so he sells
indulgences!
§ Indulgences- were pardons issued
by the pope that people could buy
to reduce a soul’s time in purgatory
= (People could buy forgiveness)
§ Martin Luther’s Ninety Five Theses
LANGUAGE BARRIERS
§ Most uneducated people didn’t understand Latin, but knew
the local common language or “vernacular”.
§ Almost all Bibles were written in LATIN before the
Reformation.

§ It was the job of the church clergy to translate the Bible to

lay people.
 MARTIN LUTHER
§ Luther was a German monk and professor
of theology (religion) at the University of
Wittenberg.
§ One of the many leaders of the Protestant
Reformation.
§ Luther objected to a saying attributed to
Johann Tetzel that "As soon as the coin in the
coffer rings, the soul from purgatory springs."
LUTHER’S 95 THESES
§ In 1517, the 95 Theses were nailed to a church door. They
were written in Latin.
§ Luther’s intention: NOT TO BREAK WITH CHURCH, BUT
REFORM IT!
§ Criticized:
1.Indulgences
2.Power of Pope
3.Wealth of Church
God’s Grace won by FAITH ALONE!
§ Catholic View: Good Works
 EXCOMMUNICATION

§ In 1520 Pope Leo X excommunicated Luther.

§ Excommunication- expelled him from the church.
§ Holy Roman Emperor Charles V passed measures to
suppress Luther’s writings.
§ Lutheran princes in Germany issued a protestatio or
protest.
§ Hence the term Protestant!
 OTHER REFORMATIONS
§ Ulrich Zwingli in Switzerland
§ Theocracy
§ A government in which church and state are joined and in which officials
are considered to be divinely inspired.

§ John Calvin in Switzerland

§ Predestination
§ God knows who will be saved, even before people are born, and therefore
guides the lives of those destined fore salvation.

§ John Knox in Scotland

§ Laid grounds for Presbyterian Church
REFORMING THE CATHOLIC CHURCH
§ Counter-Reformation
§ The Catholic Church’s series of reforms in response
to the spread of Protestantism in the mid-1500’s to
the early 1600’s.
 EARLY REFORMERS
§ Girolamo Savonarola
§ Monk who tried to change the
church from within. “Bonfire of
the Vanities”
§ Excommunicated and
Executed in Florence.
 THE COUNCIL OF TRENT
§ 1545, Church members decided to redefine some
religious doctrines of the Catholic Church.
§ Clarified Catholic teaching
1. Addressed Abuses
2. Addressed Corruption
3. Training of Priests regulated
4. Addressed Financial Abuse
5. Sale of Indulgences was abolished
THE COUNCIL OF TRENT CONT….
§ Council reaffirmed:
§ Transubstantiation
§ Sacraments
1. Baptism
2. Confirmation
3. Marriage
4. Eucharist
5. Penance (Confession)
6. Anointing Sick
§ Basic structure of Church reaffirmed!
REFORMING CATHOLICS
§Charles Borromeo
§ Archbishop of Milan (1560 to 1584)
§ Implements Council of Trent reforms
§ Builds a school to educate Priests

§Francis of Sales
§ Implemented a missionary program in Savoy
(Italy). He returned many back to the Catholic
Church.
WOMEN IN THE CHURCH
§ Angela Merici
§ Began Company of Saint Ursula
§ Jane of Chantal
§ Trained women to be teachers
§ Mary Ward of England
§ Created networks of schools for girls
§ Teresa of Avila
§ Most famous female spiritual leader for the Catholic
Church.
THE INQUISITIONS
§ Two different Inquisitions:
§ Roman Inquisition (1542)
§ Spanish Inquisition (1478)
§ The Roman Inquisition tried people for:
§ Being Protestant
§ Witchcraft
§ (Malleus Maleficarum) “Hammer of Witches”
§ Breaking with Church Law
SPANISH INQUISITION
§ Tried to convert:
§ Jews
§ Muslims
§ Protestants

§ Many accounts of torture and executions!

§ Index of Forbidden Books= censorship

RELIGIOUS WARS AND UNREST
§ The Italian War
§ King Charles VIII of France invaded Italy, and Spain
joined in the fight too.
§ Fighting ended in 1559.

§ The war is credited with spreading Renaissance ideas

throughout Europe.
§ During the fighting many important artists fled from
Italy, and took their ideas as well!
CONFLICTS AMONG GERMANS
§ Peasants War is stirred by Renaissance and Reformation
ideas.
§ Luther is connected with this revolt even though he
denounces it.

§ Local Lutheran Princes go to war with Holy Roman

Emperor.
§ Peace of Augsburg (1555) Each prince can choose the
religion that his subjects would practice.
CONFLICTS BETWEEN RELIGIONS
§ Conflicts between Catholic faith and Protestant faith in
France.

§ In 1598, Henry of Navarre converted to Catholicism, and

this created temporary peace.

§ Edict of Nantes granted religious freedom to Protestants.

THANKS