The Effects of the Reformation
The ideas of Martin Luther and the Reformation did not stay enclosed in Germany. With the printing press and the high controversy of Luther, his writing works were extremely popular and well spread throughout Europe. As a result, reformation movements occurred in numerous other countries and locations in Europe. Additionally, even when Luther passed away, his ideas continued to spur new thinkers and new movements. Movements such as Calvinism and the Anabaptist emerged. Reformation even occurred in the Catholic church as a response to Luther's impact on Europe. Ultimately, the reformation did not stop with Luther. In fact, Lutherism underwent many changes after Luther's death. Therefore, this time period is influential to doctrine.
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Doctrinal Implications of the Time:Systematic Theology:
After the death of Luther, orthodoxy and the correct interpretation of Luther's works became very important. Philipp Melanchthon became the first to systematize theology. He created the standard textbook for the study of theology among Lutherans. Through the systematizing of Lutheranism, the ideas were more readily teachable and transmittable to others new and outside of the movement. Melanchton's systematic theology led to the evolution of Lutheran scholasticism. This allowed Lutheranism to become a part of education and the schools. This led to Lutheran theology being a product of the schools. It was different because theology was no longer being born out of the life of the church and directed toward the care of souls. Instead, theology was being developed in the universities and it was addressing scholars and university professors. This is much like the theological developments and boudaries of today (Gonzales II: 222-225). Calvinism (predestination): A large effect that came out of the Lutheran Reformation was Calvinism. Calvinism focused on five themes. The first was the lifestyle of sanctification. Here, Calvinism extends beyond the justification doctrine of Lutheranism. Sanctification was seen as an internal working of the heart. The second theme of Calvinism was knowledge. The third theme was predestination. The fourth theme was the Lord's Supper, and the fifth theme was Civil government. Calvinist believed that the Lord's supper was real, although spiritual. This meant that the presence was not merely symbolic, nor was it a mere devotional exercise. In regards to predestination, Calvinist believed in God's election and preserving of the saints. This is a point in the five points of Calvinism, also referred to as TULIP. TULIP was much like a confession of Calvinist doctrine. The "T" represented the believe in "total depravity." Humans are sinful and in need of a savior. The "U" represents "unconditional election." This refers to the predestination of the elect. The "L" stands for "limited atonement." This Calvinist belief clarifies that Jesus' death on the cross was not for all. Rather, it was limited to the elect. The "I" stands for "irresistible grace." This implies that those who have been predestined cannot evade the grace of God. He has chosen them as his own and they will be saved. Lastly, the "P" stands for "perseverance of the saints." Ultimately, this point states that those who God elects will remain saved and those who "come" to faith but do not persevere were not truly elected (Gonzales II: 85, 86). Council of Trent (Catholic Reformation): The Council of Trent took place from 1545-1563. However, the council did not reside throughout the entire duration of those years. There were several periods in which the council was not in active session, although the council had not yet been concluded. These suspended periods would sometimes last more than two years. The Council of Trent took place during the reign of Paul III. It was only during this time that the breach between the Protestants and Catholics became permanent. This permanent breach was what led to the universal council. The Council of Trent was convened to address the theology that the Protestant Reformation had questioned as well as to issue a number of decrees of the reformation of the church. The hope of the council was to link uniformity with orthodoxy to better regulate the life and worship of the Catholic church. Ultimately, the Council of Trent reestablished many of the common practices and doctrine of the Catholic church. Not much was changed besides reinforcement of the regulations. Some decrees from the Council of Trent included bishops residing in their sees, condemned pluralism, listing and defining the obligations of the clergy, regulating the use of things such as relics and indulgences, and ordering the founding of seminaries for the training of the ministry. Additionally, the Council of Trent was a time where the Catholic church pushed back against Protestantism. They did this by declaring that the Vulgate, the Latin translation of the Bible was authoritative in matters of dogma. They also declared that tradition has equal authority to Scripture, that there are seven sacraments, and that mass can be offered on behalf of a deceased individual. All of these were ways to take measures against Protestantism. Therefore, the Council of Trent can be seen as the birth of the modern Catholic Church for since the Council of Trent, the Catholic church has held onto to the same primary doctrine (Gonzales II: 147-149). |
IMportant Voices:Philipp Melanchthon
Philipp Melanchthon was one of Martin Luther's closest friends and colleagues. He was Luther's main collaborator and he was looked to after Luther's death. Melanchthon became the main interpreter of Lutheran theology and was the first to create a systematic theology for it. It was known as Loci theologici. Unlike Luther, Melanchthon believed that some aspects of Lutheranism were beneficial while not essential. This did lead to a conflict between Philippists and strict Lutherans. Eventually the conflict was resolved at the Formula of Concord in 1577 (Gonzales II: 221-224).
John Calvin
John Calvin was a theologian of the second generation of reformers. He is considered one of the important systematizers of Protestant theology. He did not allow Luther's doctrine of justification to overshadow the other important aspects of Christian theology. One of these important aspects was the doctrine of sanctification (Gonzales II: 77, 78).
Queen Elizabeth I
Elizabeth came to the throne of England after her sister Mary Tutor. She was raised with Protestant beliefs. With her reign, she undid the Catholic influence of her sister. Prior to Elizabeth's reign, England had been pulled back and forth between Catholicism and Protestant influences. Although she was not a Protestant extremist, she reigned for 46 years, solidifying the Protestant dominance over England (Gonzales II: 96, 97).
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