Roman Church Of The Protestant Reformation Analysis
Many critiques were made about the Catholic church during the time of the Protestant Reformation. One of these critiques can be found in source number 1, a letter written from Luther to the Pope. A critique Luther makes about the church in this letter is that they use their power to steal from the people. In Luther’s words, “the Roman Church as become the most licentious den of thieves” (Luther). One of the things Luther is referring to here is the Church saying if you buy this certificate, called an indulgence, you will go to heaven. This is a clear example of the Church using their power to steal from the poeple. Another critique is made in source number 2. Source number 2 is an excerpt from the book Protestants the Birth of a Revolution,
by Steven Ozment. A critique from this excerpt is that the Pope is self-centered. A historian describes the Protestant Reformation as “a protest against arbitrary, self-aggrandizing, hierarchical authority in the person of the pope” (Ozment). Arbitrary is giving oneself power; self-aggrandizing is giving oneself power; and hierarchy is a system that includes many different levels of power (the Pope is the highest). All of these indicate a self-centered leader.
There were both positive and negative responses to Luther’s movement. A positive response can be found in source number two (the book excerpt). In his book, Ozment described that “to many townspeople and villagers, Luther seemed like a godsend for their struggle to remain politically free and independent” (Ozment). However, there were also negative responses as found in source number 3 - a wood carving. In the wood carving Anonymous writes: “there is still more evil to befall us. All from Luther’s pot” (Anonymous). This evil the carver is referring to is a war he predicts to take place (a prediction which ended up true).
by Steven Ozment. A critique from this excerpt is that the Pope is self-centered. A historian describes the Protestant Reformation as “a protest against arbitrary, self-aggrandizing, hierarchical authority in the person of the pope” (Ozment). Arbitrary is giving oneself power; self-aggrandizing is giving oneself power; and hierarchy is a system that includes many different levels of power (the Pope is the highest). All of these indicate a self-centered leader.
There were both positive and negative responses to Luther’s movement. A positive response can be found in source number two (the book excerpt). In his book, Ozment described that “to many townspeople and villagers, Luther seemed like a godsend for their struggle to remain politically free and independent” (Ozment). However, there were also negative responses as found in source number 3 - a wood carving. In the wood carving Anonymous writes: “there is still more evil to befall us. All from Luther’s pot” (Anonymous). This evil the carver is referring to is a war he predicts to take place (a prediction which ended up true).