Reformation

It forced all German states into accepting Catholicism as their official religion but allowed private Lutheran worship.

It created a permanent split within Germany by granting complete independence to Lutheran territories from Catholic rule.

It established a principle where each prince could determine their territory’s religion between Catholicism or Lutheranism only, entrenching divisions based on state choices rather than individual beliefs.

It mandated equal representation for Catholics and Protestants in every territorial government throughout Germany, enforcing religious parity.

It led to strict censorship laws in Germany.

It undermined oral tradition of transmitting religious knowledge.

It decreased literacy rates among lower classes because books became expensive.

It facilitated widespread dissemination of Martin Luther’s ideas.

The Edict of Worms

The Gutenberg Bible

The Peace of Augsburg

The Ninety-Five Theses

Burgeoning merchant classes favored Lutheran principles that challenged papal financial abuses affecting commerce like indulgences.

Craftsmen supported Catholic doctrines due to guild alignments with ecclesiastical benefactors promising economic stability.

Peasants rejected Lutheran reforms fearing they would disrupt established communal land-sharing practices crucial for survival.

Feudal lords advocated Lutheran views because they promised greater control over local agricultural production systems.

Renaissance artistic expressions of the human body and beauty were interpreted as signs of divine favor, which confronted established doctrines of church authority.

Enlightenment principles of rational enquiry and skepticism ought to problematize doctrinal assertions enforced by religious institutions in medieval society.

Humanism emphasized individual thought and critical engagement with texts, thereby creating a groundwork to question religious orthodoxy.

Scientific revolutionary ideas about empirical evidence and observation undermined traditional belief systems relying solely on faith and revealed knowledge.

16th Century

17th Century

15th Century

14th Century

The Six Articles of Faith

The Twelve Apostles Creed

The Ninety-Five Theses

The Ten Commandments

Encouraged local control over church lands and finances

Strengthened the role of Catholic monasteries in banking

Led to widespread adoption of mercantilist policies by Protestant regions

Increased reliance on Mediterranean trade routes

Increased censorship by Protestant leaders prompted artists to use allegory and symbolism rather than direct religious representation.

The invention of the printing press resulted in a decline of hand-painted art, shifting focus towards mass-produced textual works.

The rejection of Catholic Church authority led to reduced church patronage and a rise in private commissions focusing on individual or civic pride.

Artists were inspired by Luther's personal journey and began creating self-portraits reflecting their own spiritual quests.

Henry VIII

Martin Luther

Pope Leo X

John Calvin