Q- Evaluate the causes and success of reformation in Germany.

Q- Evaluate the significance of Lutheran reformation and its impact on 16 th

century Germany.
Q- Examine the significance of reformation in 16th century Germany.
Q- Analyse the nature and significance of reformation in Germany.
Q- Was anti-clericalism the primary factor for the genesis of German
reformation?
Q- Discuss the chief features of Lutheran reformation in Germany
Introduction
The protestant reformation in Germany was one of the most far-reaching
events of the last millennium. It ended the ancient hegemony of the Catholic
Church in Western Europe and altered the political and economic fortunes.
According to V.H.H. Green, the Reformation occurred in the second and third
decade of the sixteenth century because a certain set of circumstances created
a situation which made its outbreak both possible and probable.
This mainly was the result of dissatisfaction with the abuses within the Church,
with the role of the priesthood and with the Ecclesiastical hierarchy itself. It led
to the creation of several radical and moderate folds within Christianity such as
Lutherans, Calvinists, Puritans, Anabaptists, Anglicans, and Presbyterians.
Thus, in the following paragraphs we’ll attempt to examine the true nature and
significance of reformation in Germany by looking at its various causes and
chief features followed by the Lutheran ideological principles.
Causes of Reformation in Germany
Political causes
The weakening of the feudal structure from the late medieval period was
bound to have repercussion. There are various factors put forward by different
historians as to what laid the basis for the origins of the Reformation in
Germany. For instance, Alister McGrath wrote that the Reformation arose from
a complex heterogeneous matrix of social and ideological factors. Peter
Chaunu, enlisted three factors which were favourable to the German
Reformation which were distance from Rome, widespread literacy and
fragmentation of political power.
Germany at this time was not a united entity; it was rather in the form of
several states ruled by different princes who demanded more autonomy.
Church played the role of a political entity as well. Church had its prince-abbots
as major players in the game of imperial politics to preserve and extend their
territories. Stephen J. Lee in Aspects of European History states’ “Lutheranism
had been most successful in northern Germany and Scandinavia because it had
suited the rulers of these areas to tolerate or sponsor it for political and
economic reasons.
Economic causes
Regarding the economic origins of the Reformation, there is a debate whether
it was the result of the needs created by “capitalist” or a mercantile advance.
The beginning of the Reformation has been interpreted variously, such as by
Henri Hauser who said that it took roots in areas with victims of violent
economic and social dislocation. Thus, what characterized the setting for the
Reformation, according to some was the rise in prices, fragmentation of rural
holdings, rising rents, declining wages and widening gap between the rich and
the poor.
Apart from this, the middle age witnessed disputes between the church and
the states on some core issues. According to Max Stienmetz, anti-papalism and
anti-clericalism were the two main characteristics of reformation in Germany.
The financial expenses of the Catholic Church were one of the important
factors leading to the mounting criticisms of papal authority. They collected
funds in forms such as tithe, Annates or the first fruits in order to meet their
growing demands, which created bitterness and hostility against the church
and provided immediate background to the reformation. They also earned
from laymen with the sale of dispensation for breaches of cannon law, pardons
and the sale of post of Cardinals such as the sale of indulgences.
Social causes
With the translation of the classical text Germania in vernacular languages, a
feeling of nationalism was aroused in the Germans who now started to loathe
the foreign pope given their past struggles against the Romans. Dissatisfaction
of people with the materialism of the Church led them to accept the simplistic
religion proposed by Luther more.
Many Historians stress on the invention of Printing Press as having greatly
helped in the dissemination of ideas in vernacular languages to the
commoners. The pamphlets circulated that too with the invention of printing
press, were inexpensive thus Lutheran followers could have easy access. Some
princes and locals actually wanted and cared for a reformed religion. Some
Church leaders had become worldly and corrupt which the people found
unacceptable. Many people found Church practices such as the sale of Church
indulgences, decoration with luxury items etc. in the Church as unacceptable
Church’s practices
During the course of Reformation in Germany/ features of reformation
Martin Luther was the chief architect behind reformation in Germany which
began in 1517 when he nailed his Ninety-Five Thesis on the church door in
Wittenburg and directly challenged the sale of indulgence. His actions
immediately attracted the attention of all Europe. Engels described Luther’s
revolt against the Roman Catholic Church as ‘Luther’s lightning struck home.’
In summer of the year 1520, Luther published his “Three Treaties” where he
put forth three main thoughts, the Reformation Doctrine “Priesthood of All
Believers”, Secondly, he questioned the sacramental system of the church and
declared that instead of seven, there has only three sacraments i.e., Baptism,
Marriage and Eucharism. And thirdly, he developed religious and ethical
implication of doctrine of ‘justification by Faith.’
Luther’s reformation began on the question of ‘What must be done to seek for
forgiveness.’ Luther believed that the church had misunderstood the gospel
and the true essence of Christianity by adopting practices such as the sale of
indulgence. Luther’s religion was given an organizational structure and a
definite shape by his fellow Professor Melanchthon. He helped Luther prepare
three Tracts and establish a new sect of Christians. This new group of Christians
called Lutherans followed by the ideology of Lutheranism which believed in the
supremacy of faith which destroyed the exclusive position of priests along with
their mystical functions. Luther declared that each Christian was to be his own
priest. For Luther, liberty was an inward faith and not an outward social and
political freedom. He abolished the hierarchy of church officials from popes
down to priests.
Significance of the Reformation in Germany
The Reformation had an enduring effect through its religious, social and
political effects. It set the stage for a modern world destroying the religious
unity of Europe leaving it culturally divided.
Religious Effects
For varied reasons and widely differing influences, the reformation had a
distinctive face in different regions which produced two major variants of
religious reform, the Lutheran and the Helve-tic. Despite the wars and
persecutions, it bore, it left the Roman Catholic Church much unified.
Scribner pointed out that the spread of religious ideas through translated
books in vernacular languages, prayer books, hand books, vernacular editions
of Bible etc. made easy by the printing press created an atmosphere of
religious revival and reading. The Catholic Church in response to Reformation
introduced certain reforms such as education of priests while maintaining the
supremacy of tradition and Holy scripture forging in a Counter Reformation. It
was also pointed that the Reformers complained about the lack of true religion
there. A report also mentioned that, ‘Those who come to service are usually
drunk. As soon as they sit down, they lean their heads on their hands and sleep
through the whole sermon, except that they fall off the benches, making a
great clatter, or women drop their babies on the floor.”
Social Effects:
Bernd Moeller states that Reformation acted as a way of maintaining the civic
community and traditional communitarian values against the centralizing
tendencies of the Empire and the Roman Catholic Church. Education was made
the priority to promote the beliefs. New schools, colleges and universities were
founded throughout Europe thus Germany as well. Women witnessed no
upliftment. They were still mainly limited with the concerns of family and
home. They were forced to become nuns which took away their freedom of
choice.
Elsie Anne Mckee pointed out that initially, women initiated the change but
they later played no significant role. Bob Scribner points out that women
participated through the men of the family-fathers, husbands, brothers. Beat
Kumin in The European World points that the peasants were selective in which
Lutheran teachings they adopted despite the fact that the Reformers swept
away the Catholic practices they considered harmful. He calls it as “slow
winning of hearts and minds.” There are intense debates on the connection
between Protestantism and Capitalism. Max Weber argues that Protestantism
evolved an ethic which laid the base for capitalist mode of production. R. H
Tawney states that Protestantism and Capitalism influenced and encouraged
each other simultaneously.
Political Effects
Lutheranism was much successful in Northern Germany because it suited the
rulers of the region to tolerate or sponsor it for political and economic reasons.
With the diminishing grip of the Roman Catholic Church, the individual
monarchs and states started to take over the control of the territories leading
to the development of modern states. The ideas of Reformation let some reject
all religions and others to call for the overthrowing of the Monarchy laying a
ground work for the period of Enlightenment.
Conclusion
From the above discussion, one can make out that the reformation project in
Germany was a complex and multifaceted event that had a significant impact
on the course of European history. It led to the significant changes in the
Church and society. The movement had completed its 500-year anniversary
already and it continues to fascinate social scientists for several reasons. Its
legacy is being carried forward as we see the branches in Christianity today that
had its roots back in the middle-ages.