The Reformation There are over 30,000 different Christian religions in the world today; up to the beginning of the 16th century, there was only one. The Reformation was a 16th century religious, cultural, and political upheaval that tore apart Catholic Europe and brought forth the many Christian religions there are now. This time period is exceedingly important because it was a time when people decided to question their faith and the Catholic religion. Protestants that disagreed with the Church’s teachings rebelled against it and founded their own churches where they could worship freely. Most historians date the start of the Reformation to 1517 and the publication of Martin Luther’s “95 Theses.” Luther, along with many other people, disagreed…show more content… Luther, born in 1483, was a German monk that questioned the teachings of the Catholic Church. He believed one could achieve salvation through faith alone and not through the good works the Church forced the people to do, which, in the end, only benefited the Church. His “95 Theses” were critiques toward the indulgences of Pope Leo Ⅹ. Luther wrote that the indulgences corrupted the people’s faith. When he refused to recant his theses, he was excommunicated from the Church in January 1521. Luther was now a wanted man on the run. With help from friends, he was able to stay hidden. While in hiding, he translated the New Testament into the German language so the ordinary person could read it. In 1522, Luther came out of hiding and began organizing a new church, Lutheranism. He gained many followers and the support of German princes. With the help of the princes, his church grew over the years. Martin Luther is remembered as the man who sparked the Reformation.
Furthermore, King Henry Ⅷ was responsible on bringing the Reformation to England. Henry Ⅷ remained loyal to the pope until he decided he wanted to divorce his wife because she could not grant him a male heir. In 1534, Pope Clement refused to annul Henry’s marriage to Catherine of Aragon. Henry then declared that he alone had the final authority in matters relating to the English church. He was then able to remarry but couldn’t produce a male
