Protestant Reformation Key Concepts

In what century did the Protestant Reformation begin?

• 14th century

• 15th century

• 16th century

• 17th century

By the 13th century, how powerful had Christianity become in Western Europe?

• A minor religion

• Powerful enough to rival state governments

• Only influential in small towns

• A declining religion

What philosophical movement during the Renaissance shifted the idea of man's fate from religious doctrine to being determined by man himself?

• Rationalism

• Empiricism

• Humanism

• Scholasticism

Which two early critics of the Catholic Church believed its teachings had strayed from the Bible?

• Martin Luther and John Calvin

• John Wycliffe and Jan Hus

• Desiderius Erasmus and Thomas More

• Ulrich Zwingli and John Knox

What was Martin Luther's main criticism of the Catholic Church's practice of selling "indulgences"?

• It was too expensive for the poor

• It allowed people to buy forgiveness for sins

• It was only available to nobility

• It was a new practice not based on tradition

What date is considered the "birth of the Protestant Reformation" when Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses?

• July 4th, 1776

• December 25th, 1642

• October 31st, 1517

• January 1st, 1500

What was the Church's response to Martin Luther's refusal to recant his theses in January 1521?

• They offered him a higher position

• They debated him further

• They declared him a heretic and excommunicated him

• They ignored his arguments

What technological innovation helped Martin Luther's arguments spread easily across Europe, unlike previous reformers?

• The telegraph

• The printing press

• The steam engine

• The internet

How did the Bible become more accessible to the general public during the Reformation?

• It was read aloud in churches more often

• It was translated from Latin into common languages

• It was made shorter and easier to understand

• It was distributed for free by the Church

What was a significant impact of the Protestant Reformation on the common people of Europe?

• They became more dependent on the educated upper class

• They lost the ability to question religious authority

• They were empowered to question religion and decide their own fates

• They were forced to convert to Catholicism