Martin+Luther+vs+Henry+VIII+-+Reformation

Gautam Gupta Martin Luther vs. Henry VIII – Motives and Results of the Reformation Prompt: Compare and contrast the motives and actions of Martin Luther in the German states and King Henry VIII in England in bringing about religious change during the Reformation.

Thesis: The Protestant Reformations of sixteenth century Europe took many different paths, from Martin Luther’s disagreement with the Catholic practices of indulgences and transubstantiation, eventually forming Lutheranism, to Henry VIII’s desire for divorce that led to his superficial break from the Catholic Church, which resulted in no real religious change.

I. Martin Luther’s Motives & Actions · Motivated to join the clergy after surviving a lightning storm · Major concern: the assurance of salvation o Sacraments o Transubstantiation · Church said salvation must be earned by good works · Justification by grace through faith alone · Motivated to reform by his dislike for the Church’s use of indulgences o Pope Leo X created indulgence system to finance the new St. Peter’s Basilica o Johann Tetzel collected the indulgences – “As soon as the coin in the coffer rings, the soul from purgatory springs” · Published his 95 Theses o Indictment of the Pope’s abuses o Development of printing led to it spreading quickly · Leipzig Debates with Johann Eck o Luther was forced to essentially deny the authority of the pope o Compelled to see the consequences of his path · Made his break with the Catholic church more definite with his pamphlet //Address to the Nobility of the German Nation// · Translated Bible into German · Developed Lutheranism II. Henry VIII’s Motives & Actions · Initially, Henry was totally against a reformation o Wrote //Defense of the Seven Sacraments//; was directly attacking Luther · Many English resented the papal power; lots of anticlerical/antipapal feelings · Main motivation: Henry’s desire to divorce Catherine of Aragon, for 2 reasons: o Catherine had produced no male heirs o He was now in love with Anne Boleyn · Henry relied on Cardinal Wolsey to get the annulment from the pope; Charles V  · Pope was reluctant, Wolsey dismissed · Thomas Cranmer and Thomas Cromwell advised him to get the annulment in England’s own courts o Would mean splitting from the Pope · Parliament passed the Act of Supremacy o Declared that the king was the head of the new Church of England · Treason act made it punishable to deny this · Little change occurred in doctrine/theology · In response to sense of Protestantism, passed the Six Articles act o Reaffirmed transubstantiation, clerical celibacy, and other Catholic doctrines

Sources: @http://www.schoolshistory.org.uk/protestantreformation.htm @http://www.fsmitha.com/h3/h18-eu.html