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The Reformation

The 16th Century Reformation was an important movement in the Christian Church. It created a split between Protestant and Catholic Christians.

Martin Luther's teaching

Martin Luther's teaching

  • Martin Luther's teachings were important in the Reformation.
    • Luther said that many of the leaders of the Church had become rich and corrupt. So the Church no longer focused on the poor and outcasts of society, as Jesus intended.
  • Luther also said there should be translations of the Bible in people’s own languages. He did his own translation of the Bible into German.
    • Before this, the Bible was mainly only in Latin, which ordinary people couldn’t read.
Martin Luther's teaching (cont.)

Martin Luther's teaching (cont.)

  • Luther argued that Church leaders gave wrong interpretations of the Bible. So they had led the Church into error.
    • An example of this was the Church leaders' teachings on indulgences.
    • Indulgences said that sinful people could do certain good actions (or pay) to remove any punishment for their sins.
  • Luther said Indulgences was not taught in the Bible. It went against the central Bible teaching that faith in Jesus was the only way to be saved.
The Reformation

The Reformation

  • Martin Luther's teaching caused the Church in Europe to split. This split divided the Church into Catholics and Protestants.
    • This split is called the Reformation.
    • The division between Catholics and Protestants still exists in Christianity today!
  • It is important to understand the differences between Catholics and Protestants.
Catholic beliefs

Catholic beliefs

  • Catholics accept that the Church is led by the Pope and other bishops.
    • Catholics accept the authority of the Bible as a way to understand God and Jesus. But they believe that what the Bible teaches often needs to be interpreted.
    • They believe Jesus gave this work of interpreting the Bible to the Pope and Bishops.
Protestant beliefs

Protestant beliefs

  • Protestants do not accept the authority of the Pope.
    • Protestants believe that individual Christians need to read the Bible carefully for themselves.
    • It is important for everyone to come to a personal understanding of their faith.
Jump to other topics
1

Year 7

1.1

Origins of Abrahamic Faith

1.2

Judaism

1.3

Christianity

1.4

Disciplinary Knowledge

2

Year 8

2.1

Islam

2.2

Hindu Dharma (Hinduism)

2.3

Buddhism

2.4

Sikhi

2.5

Atheism

2.6

Philosophy of Religion

2.7

Disciplinary Knowledge

3

Year 9

3.1

Life & Death

3.2

Extremism

3.3

Equality

4

Additional Concepts

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