story: The profound crisis of the Church in the Age of Reformation

The history of the Christian West is characterized by phases of great upheavals in which religious beliefs and social structures changed fundamentally. Such a significant chapter is the time around 1500, an epoch in which the church was deep in a deep crisis. After the death of Pope Alexander VI. and in the midst of growing unrest within theA movement emerged from the religious community that shook the existing system and led to profound reforms. This era was characterized by a change in spirituality, a strong need for personal piety and at the same time criticism of the abuses within the church hierarchy. While people were looking for comfort and orientation, they becamemisguided by the abuse of religious practices. The developments at that time and the reactions to the diverse grievances laid the foundation for a profound division of Christianity, which still has an effect today. The following image describes the background, causes and effects of this turbulent time, which is one of the most profoundmark changes in the history of Christianity.

Religious Renewal and Dark Sides

The religious landscape around 1500 was characterized by a multitude of intellectual movements that reflected the need for a more personal and lively piety. A significant current was the so-called “Devotio moderna”, which appealed to many people deep inside and encouraged them to make their relationship with God more intense and authentic. through theDissemination of religious literature, which was facilitated with the help of the printing press, more and more believers were able to gain access to writings that deepened their religious understanding and promoted inner contemplation. At the same time, art, with its sensually touching devotional pictures, contributed to emotionally intensifying religious experience. but in the midst of these spiritual breaksa dark cloud also spread. The fears of an allegedly impending end of the world were increasingly fueled, with dubious traders taking advantage of these fears to make quick profits with false promises and questionable practices. A Dominican who came into focus through his behavior and practices became particularly infamous, namely Johanntetzel. He became a symbol of abuse within the religious spectrum and is an example of the dark side of the faith movements of the time.

Johann Tezel and the controversial indulgence trade

In history, Johann Tetzel is considered a dazzling and shady personality. Rumors circulated about his life that put him in a very shady light, so he is said to have attracted attention from fraud and immoral behavior at a young age. There were reports that he sentenced him to death by drowning in Innsbruck for adultery and gambling fraudshould have been – rumors that, however, were spread by Martin Luther himself. What is certain is that from 1504 on, Tetzel was thriving in indulgences based on questionable theses. With great skill he campaigned for a practice that already deviated from church teaching and misled the believers. His best-known saying, on the boxes in whichhe collected the money, read is: “As soon as the money in the box sounds, the soul jumps into the sky.” In doing so, he gave the impression that the purchase of an indulgence could free the deceased from hell and be promoted to heaven. For Tezel, this was of course a lucrative business based on false promises and with the actual teaching of theChristianity had nothing in common. This practice was later condemned by the church as abuse. The Council of Trento, convened in the 16th century, expressly forbade trade in indulgences, and Pope Pius V even in 1570 even imposed excommunication on those responsible. But the disaster had already been caused, and the scandal surrounding the indulgence trade fueled theDissatisfaction and resistance to the Church, which ultimately should prepare the ground for the great Reformation movement.

Martin Luther and the beginning of the Reformation

In 1517, with the publication of his 95 theses, Martin Luther struck an avalanche that shook the church to its foundations. The theses were not only directed against the indulgence trade, but against a large number of grievances within the church hierarchy. Luther did not want to found a new church, but rather reform the existing church. His goal wasFighting abuses and corruption in church leadership and bringing the original message of Christ back to the center. He was aware that the church in its previous form was in need of reform. Luther turned above all against the practice of promising salvation to people by selling indulgences. He argued that graceGod’s undeserved and to be received solely by faith. For him it was outrageous that people should be persuaded to free themselves from their sins or to rescue their deceased from hell. This criticism met with a sensitive topic that many believers had been struck for a long time. Luther did not want to destroy the church, but reform,But the powerful of the Church saw him as a threat to their power and their sources of income. In response to his criticism, the Church finally condemned him, but Luther was already on the way to found a new movement that was to profoundly change the faith and the Church.

The background of the church crisis and the question of sin and forgiveness

The crisis of the Church was complex and deeply rooted. It was not just about the sale of indulgences, but about fundamental questions of faith and the doctrine of sin. According to the ecclesiastical doctrine, only God could forgive sins, and that was solely through his undeserved grace. This act of forgiveness was a divine grace that made man free. But sins were never just a private onematter between a believer and God. They always affected the community of Christians, the church itself. Therefore it was necessary to erase the sins in this world. This was done through penances, pilgrimages, alms or other forms of reparation. The indulgence document was a practical implementation of this penalties that the Church with its divine power of attorneycould. But over time, this practice was increasingly abused. The indulgences traders who were only profited drove the abuse to the extreme. The Council of Trento finally intervened by banning and excommunicating the abuses, but the movement was already underway. The Reformation, initiated by Luther, ultimately led to theOld church broke and a new faith movement emerged. The deep causes lay in the fundamental questions of faith, grace, sin and forgiveness. The events of that time mark the beginning of a new section in the history of Christianity, which has had an impact today and has permanently changed the religious landscape of Europe.