Marcus Yosif

World Civilizations Honors

Mr. Luke

19 October 2016

Renaissance and Reformation

Over the course of thousands of years many historians have said that the Protestant

Reformation was a religious movement. This was caused by the Catholic Church failing to meet

the pace of religious reform desired by many Europeans. Many leaders during this time came to

power and preached what they believed, touching thousands of peoples lives. One example of

this was when dozens of German states converted to Lutheranism causing a huge divide in

Germany. Also, during this time Scotland was undergoing reforms led by John Knox bringing

views back to Scotland. This is how German divides between Catholic and Lutheran, and John

Knox bringing Calvinism to Scotland are both examples of religious movements caused by the

Catholic Church failing to meet religious reform to many Europeans.

The treaty of Augsburg allowed the leaders in different territories in Germany to decide

whether that area where to be Catholic or Lutheran. This caused Lutheranism to spread

throughout Germany, and allowed areas of Germany to break away from the Catholic Church

and instead go to the Lutheran (Protestant) church. In the textbook World History Protestant

Reformation was caused by the divide between the German territories, this was shown when the

text sates, With the Peace of Augsburg, what had at first been merely feared was now certain;

the ideal of Christian unity was forever lost. The rapid spread of new Protestant groups made this

certainty (Spielvogel 423). This text shows that Protestant groups were forming due to the treaty

that was signed by Charles V. This also shows that Christian unity will be lost because know
different branches of Christianity where forming causing more diversity. In the text it states,

The rapid spread of new Protestant groups. This shows that Protestantism was growing largely

because know this branch of Christainity was allowed throughout Germany, and also if the leader

where to believe in Lutheran (Protestant) then all the people in that area where to convert to that

branch of Christianity immediately. This ultimately was one of the causes of the Protestant

Reformation because people were able to worship and practice Protestantism and cause the

religion to grow rapidly.

John Knox was a Scottish Follower of Calvinism, which was formed by John Calvin who

was a Protestant reformer and a follower of Martin Luther. Calvinism is a major branch in the

Protestant religion, which was being spread throughout Scotland by John Knox. John Knox was

a major cause of the Protestant Reformation because he was spreading one of the major ideas of

Protestantism throughout Scotland. He also founded the Presbyterian Church, which allowed

people to go and pray to the Protestant religion. He also visited Geneva, Switzerland with John

Calvin and brought views back to Scotland. This caused Protestant to grow throughout Scotland

and throughout Europe because more and more people were converting and worshiping this

branch of Christianity. John Calvin worshiped Martin Luthers ideas who were excommunicated

by Pope Leo X, this is an example of the Catholic Church failing to respond to different ideas

because instead of trying to listen to Martin Luther Pope Leo X just tried to excommunicate him

when it was already to late. This ultimately caused the movement to grow even more causing a

new branch of Christianity to form. This also allowed people like John Calvin and John Knox to

worship these new ideas and spread them throughout Europe. John Knox was able to spread the

Protestant religion throughout Scotland causing the Protestant Reformation.