Protestant Reformation Dbq

Historians argue that there were many causes of the Protestant Reformation, but there was one main issue that instigated its formation. Economically, resentment of the Church’s wealth and taxes influenced the drive for reformation and particularly, other European leaders. In the same respect, the Church’s growing political authority and push for power troubled such leaders. Despite the perceived supreme power of the Church in Europe, the religious affairs and corruption amongst the Church’s leaders were more important causes of the reformation. An increased disdain and mistrust of the Church dominated the opinion of the public and further supported the idea of reformation. Simply put, these religious issues of the early 1500s were a more important

During this time, European Monarchs became immensely jealous of the Church’s wealth. From their position of power, the Monarchs were pitching their jealousy as an opportunity to expose Church and yield it from venturing outside of their religious borders. (This is, of course, the church becoming a force in the European world through prosperity). Monarchs introduced the idea of corruptness in the Church because their jealousy also led to questioning as to how the Church obtained such money. Unfortunately for the people, it was them. Ironically, the people were the ones supposedly benefiting from the church’s teaching: Salvation through faith in God. In addition, the Church faced backlash against their taxes on people, and in particular, the wealthy merchant class. The merchant class was the patrons of the arts and thus, the Renaissance, therefore, the people all the more supported the merchants against the Church. Even though the people scrutinized the Church’s perceived economic agenda, there were more important causes of the

In the early to mid-1500s, church leaders were more focused on worldly affairs such as patronizing the arts, spending extravagantly, pleasing themselves, and fighting wars. In addition, the lower clergy of the Church, to whom were given the responsibility of educating the public by Church leaders, were, in fact, uneducated themselves. The Church leaders’ lack of interest in priests reflected directly on the integrity of their words and made them less credible. During the same time, the Church was giving indulgences as a reassurance of entering heaven, meanwhile, the Bible says one can only enter through faith. Indulgences are a prime example of the people trusting the church, and the uneducated clergy communicated that indulgences were good for the people. Together, the church increasingly became more corrupt, less truthful, and more worried about their worldly lives than saving the souls of the people. From 1492 to 1503, Pope Alexander VI embodied this ideology. He cherished and participated in a more worldly life by sleeping with many women, hosting lavish banquets, masquerades, and comedic plays. Alexander pleased himself and paid for all of his events with the church’s funds (from things like indulgences and taxes), while crime and violence suffocated the streets of