← Back to Library

Protestant Reformation

Key figures, events, and ideas of the Protestant Reformation

25 cards · religion

Sign up to start studying this deck

Cards (25)

FrontBack
Western Schism1378–1417; rival popes split Latin Christendom
The papal split eroded papal prestige, fueling calls for reform.
IndulgencesRemission of temporal punishment; abused in fundraising
Abuse of indulgence preaching sparked Luther’s protest in 1517.
Printing press1450s; Gutenberg’s movable type enabled mass texts
Pamphlets and vernacular Bibles spread reform ideas quickly.
Erasmus Greek New Testament1516; first published critical Greek-Latin New Testament
Enabled biblical humanism; shaped Luther’s and others’ exegesis.
Jan HusBohemian reformer executed at Constance, 1415
His teachings prefigured Protestant ideas and inspired Hussites.
95 Theses1517; Luther challenged indulgences at Wittenberg
Catalyzed debate on penance, authority, and salvation.
Diet of Worms1521; Luther refused to recant before Emperor Charles V
Declared an outlaw; protected by Frederick, he translated Scripture.
Sola fideJustification by faith alone, not works
Core Lutheran doctrine opposing merit-based salvation.
Sola scripturaScripture alone as supreme authority
Denied equal authority of church tradition and papal decrees.
Priesthood of all believersAll Christians share spiritual priesthood
Undermined clerical hierarchy; elevated vocation and laity.
Augsburg Confession1530; foundational Lutheran statement of faith
Presented at the Diet of Augsburg; defined key Lutheran doctrines.
Zwingli on the EucharistSymbolic memorial; no corporal presence
Rejected transubstantiation; emphasized remembrance.
Marburg Colloquy1529; Luther and Zwingli split over the Lord’s Supper
Unity failed over Christ’s presence; foiled Protestant alliance.
Schleitheim Confession1527; Anabaptist articles affirming believers’ baptism
Rejected infant baptism; taught separation and nonviolence.
Act of Supremacy1534; Henry VIII made head of Church of England
Broke with Rome over annulment; birthed the English Reformation.
Dissolution of the Monasteries1536–1541; English monastic houses suppressed
Crown seized lands, reshaping religion and society in England.
Elizabethan Settlement1559; moderate Protestant Church of England structure
Via media under Elizabeth I; Acts of Supremacy and Uniformity.
Institutes of the Christian Religion1536; Calvin’s systematic Reformed theology
Expanded editions shaped Reformed churches across Europe.
PredestinationGod’s sovereign election to salvation
Emphasized divine grace; comforted believers and urged discipline.
Counter-ReformationCatholic renewal opposing Protestant expansion
Reforms of clergy, doctrine, and devotion from mid-16th century.
Society of Jesus1540; Jesuit order founded by Ignatius of Loyola
Led missions, education, and papal service in Catholic renewal.
Council of Trent1545–1563; Catholic doctrinal and disciplinary reform
Affirmed canon, sacraments, and justification against Protestants.
Peace of Augsburg1555; cuius regio, eius religio in the Empire
Princes chose Lutheran or Catholic; Calvinists excluded.
Defenestration of Prague1618; Bohemian nobles hurled officials from a window
Sparked the Thirty Years’ War over religion and power.
Peace of Westphalia1648; ended Thirty Years’ War; recognized state sovereignty
Legalized Calvinism in the Empire; reshaped European order.