Episode 1
Protestant Beginnings.
Audio • Season 1 • Episode 1 • Protestant Beginnings.
The Artwork is a Painted portrait of Martin Luther, 1528
Artist: Lucas Cranach the Elder (1472–1553). Painting Location: The Coburg Fortress, a medieval fortress, situated above the town of Coburg, in the Upper Franconia region of Bavaria, Germany.
The Music is Kyrie, from the Gregorian Plainsong Mass, Missa Orbis Factor.
This episode examines the origins of a Protestant movement that significantly altered fundamental Christian beliefs.
The term "Protestant" originated from the Protestation at Speyer in 1529, where nobles opposed the decrees from the Diet of Worms that threatened the forfeiture of property for supporters of Lutheranism.
Martin Luther, a German priest, theologian, religious reformer, author, and Augustinian friar, was born on November 10, 1483, in Saxony. He was a key figure in the 16th-century Protestant Reformation and is often regarded as the pivotal leader of the movement whose followers became known as Lutherans.
Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam was one of the leading activists and thinkers of the European Renaissance. A man of remarkable intellect, he played a significant role in defining the humanist movement in Northern Europe.
At this point, it is also important to understand the concept of predestination. The Puritans believed that at the time of the world's creation, God had already predetermined who would be saved or condemned.
Lastly, it is essential to mention William Tyndale, who is widely regarded as the greatest English biblical scholar.
Transcript
Series 1.
Episode 1.
Protestant Beginnings.
November:He was the catalyst of the 16th-century Protestant Reformation, and is considered to be the seminal figure of a movement, whose followers became known as Lutherans.
Ordained a priest in: In: October:During medieval times, the Catholic Church exploited its congregations by selling indulgences.
This method, often required people to pay a financial penalty, claiming it could pardon past wrongdoings, and possibly offer release from purgatory after death.
The Veste Coburg or Coburg Fortress.
Is a medieval fortress, situated above the town of Coburg, in the Upper Franconia region of Bavaria, Germany.
Lucas Cranach the Elder, was a German Renaissance artist, known for his woodcut and engraving work.
As court painter for the Electors of Saxony, he rendered portraits of German princes and Protestant Reformation leaders.
A close friend of Luther, Cranach originally painted religious subjects, transitioning from Catholic tradition to Lutheran expression.
Martin Luther, enclosed in his letter to the bishop, a copy of his "Disputation on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences", which came to be known as the Ninety-five Theses.
Luther saw his disputation, as a scholarly objection to church practices, and the tone of his letter was probing, rather than dogmatic.
However, there were clear signs of dissent in several of his Theses.
This is particularly true of Thesis 86, where Luther asked, “Why does the Pope, the wealthiest man in all Rome, choose to construct the Basilica of St. Peter using the funds of the poor, rather than from his own resources”.
Luther believed only God could grant forgiveness, finding fault with those who claimed indulgences, could absolved buyers from all punishments and even grant them salvation.
veral locations in Germany in:The words to Luther's Ninety-five Theses can still be seen, engraved into the wooden door of All Saints' Church, Wittenberg.
In January: England and Italy as early as:Students thronged to Wittenberg to hear Luther speak, and this early part of Luther's career, was one of his most creative and productive.
Title: Luther’s Ninety-Five Theses. Location: Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.
emberg: Hieronymus Höltzel,: virtutis indulgentiarum” of:Its full title is: "Out of love and zeal for clarifying the truth, these items written below will be debated at Wittenberg”.
The Reverend Father Martin Luther, Master of Arts and Sacred Theology and an official professor at Wittenberg, will speak in their defence.
He asks: “Those who cannot be present to debate with us in speech, should, though absent from the scene, treat the matter by correspondence.
In the Name of Our Lord Jesus Christ Amen."
known works were published in:1. To the Christian Nobility of the German Nation.
2. On the Babylonian Captivity of the Church.
3. On the Freedom of a Christian.
Archbishop Albrecht did not respond to Luther's letter, which included the Ninety-five Theses.
ding them to Rome in December:Pope Leo X was experienced in dealing with reformers and heretics, so he responded with great care, as was appropriate.
Over the next three years, he sent a series of papal theologians and envoys to confront Luther, which only intensified Luther's criticism of the papacy.
Initially, the Dominican theologian Sylvester Mazzolini, compiled a heresy case against Luther, and then Pope Leo summoned Luther to Rome.
Frederick the Third, the Elector of Saxony, convinced the Pope to examine Luther in Augsburg, Bavaria, where the Imperial Diet was held.
The term diet, derives from the Latin diaeta, meaning a legislative assembly.
In October:The Pope's right to issue indulgences, was at the centre of the dispute between the two men, and the hearing soon degenerated into a shouting match.
"His Holiness abuses Scripture", replied Luther, adding, "I deny he is above Scripture".
Even more than writing his theses, Luther's confrontation with the church, would finally position him as an enemy of the Pope.
The directive given to Cajetan was to arrest Luther if he refused to retract his statements; however, in the initial stages, the legate practiced restraint.
Cajetan was unaware, but with the help of Carmelite monk Christoph Langenmantel, Luther evaded capture, slipping out of the city of Augsburg under the cloak of darkness.
In January:After this, Luther complied with some of the Saxons' demands, promising to stay quiet as long as his opponents did the same.
However, the Catholic theologian Johann Eck was determined to expose Luther's doctrine publicly.
Johann Maier von Eck was a German Catholic theologian, scholastic, prelate, and counter-reformation pioneer.
In the June and July of: e, Luther argued that Matthew:He further contended, that neither the Pope nor church councils are infallible.
Due to this statement, Eck labelled Luther a heretic, and from that point on, he dedicated himself to discrediting and defeating Luther.
June:Papal Bulls are typically cited by their opening words.
"Exsurge Domine" is Latin for, Arise, O Lord.
The document, outlined the various errors, of which Luther was accused.
Luther was warned that he would face excommunication, unless he recanted 41 statements from his writings, including the Ninety-five Theses, within 60 days.
A Papal Bull, is a type of public decree, letter of patent or charter, issued by the Pope.
It is named after the leaden seal, in Latin "Bulla", traditionally used to authenticate it.
Johann Eck, promulgated the Bull, in Meissen and other towns that autumn.
The word promulgate comes from the Latin word promulgatus, meaning "make publicly known”.
To promulgate is to officially put a law into effect.
December:He defended this act, in his publication titled "Why the Pope and His Recent Book Are Burned, and Assertions Concerning All Articles”.
January: In:As a result, the enforcement of the Papal Bull, concerning the Ninety-Five Theses, became the responsibility of the secular authorities.
ther’s excommunication from:The Papal Bull was written in response to the teachings of Martin Luther which opposed the views of the Catholic Church.
The Bull, censured forty-one propositions, summarised from Luther's writings, and threatened him with excommunication unless he recanted within sixty days, commencing upon the publication of the bull in Saxony and neighbouring regions.
April:The Diet, was a general assembly of the estates of the Holy Roman Empire, held in Worms, a town on the Rhine.
May:Prince Frederick the Third, the Elector of Saxony, provided safe conduct for Martin Luther to attend the meeting.
Representing the Archbishop of Trier, Johann Eck, presented Luther with copies of his writings, and asked him whether these books were indeed his, and if he still stood by their contents.
Luther confirmed that he was the author, but requested time to consider his response to the second question.
He prayed, sought advice from friends, and the following day, he gave his answer, stating:
“I am bound by the Scriptures I have quoted, and my conscience is in servitude to the Word of God”.
“I cannot and will not recant anything, since it is neither safe nor right to go against my conscience, and may God help me”.
Over the next five days, private conferences were held, to determine Luther's fate.
May:The edict banned his literature, and required that he be apprehended and punished as a notorious heretic.
Despite his promises of a safe passage, Frederick had Luther intercepted, on his way home in the forest near Wittenberg, by masked horsemen impersonating highway robbers.
They escorted Luther to the security of Wartburg Castle in Eisenach.
d at Wartburg castle from May:During his stay, Luther translated the New Testament from Greek into German, and produced numerous theological and controversial writings.
In one of his most powerful statements about faith, Luther argued, that any virtuous act, done to earn God's approval is fundamentally sinful.
He further explained, that humans are inherently sinful and that only God's grace - which cannot be secured through deeds - can justify them.
st of August:Exhorting “Embrace your sinful nature, let your transgressions be potent, but ensure your faith in Christ is even mightier."
"In our earthly existence, we will inevitably sin, since this life is not where righteousness prevails".
In the summer of:Luther made his declarations from his home in Wartburg, always closely following the rapidly unfolding developments at Wittenberg.
In: ich was released in September:In his reply, Luther argued that humanity cannot earn salvation or eternal life through good deeds; instead, it is granted to believers as a divine gift of grace.
This debate between Luther and Erasmus is one of the earliest discussions of the Reformation, focusing on the issues of free will and predestination.
Despite his criticisms of Roman Catholicism, Erasmus believed that the Reformation should arise from within the Church, and felt that Luther had gone too far.
Erasmus taught that free will is inherent to all humans, and argued that predestination is not consistent with biblical teachings.
He claimed that repentance, baptism, and conversion are all dependent on the presence of free will, and rejected the notion, that God's foreknowledge determines events.
Likewise, he argued that divine grace, actually sustains humans, in using their free will, enabling them to choose between good and evil, ultimately leading to their salvation through the atonement of Jesus Christ.
Luther's response was, that original sin incapacitates human beings from working out their salvation, and that they are incapable of bringing themselves to God.
He asserted, there is no free will for humanity, as any will - they might possess, is overwhelmed by the influence of sin.
the Protestation at Speyer in:However, the theological foundations for the term likely trace back much further.
The Luther rose or the Luther seal is a renowned emblem representing Lutheranism.
y John Frederick of Saxony in:Lazarus Spengler sent Luther the original sketch of this seal.
Luther viewed it as a representation of his theology and faith, using it to authenticate his correspondence.
At this stage, it is important to understand the concept of Predestination.
The Puritans believed, God had predetermined or chosen, those who would be saved or condemned, at the very beginning of the world's creation.
An individual's fate therefore, was beyond their control, as God had already decided who to save.
They presumed, that only the godly had been chosen for salvation, assuming God would not select sinners.
Luther, and many of his fellow reformers, prioritised God's control and power, while Erasmus, in contrast, prioritised God's justice and liberality toward humankind.
In the end, the arguments between Erasmus and Luther, came down to differences of opinion, regarding the doctrines of divine justice and omniscience.
Luther and others held that God was omniscient and omnipotent, that anything that happened had to result from God's explicit will, and that God's foreknowledge of events brought the events into being.
Erasmus argued that God's commandments and warnings would be all in vain, if humans did not possess free will.
He believed, that if sinful acts and their resulting calamities were solely the result of God's predestination, then God would be a cruel tyrant for punishing his creations for their sins.
Instead, Erasmus insisted that God had endowed humanity with free will, and valued this trait, rewarding or punishing individuals, based on their choices between good and evil.
He supported his view by citing biblical texts, asserting that it was through divine grace that humanity came to recognize God.
Some, interpret the Christian belief in predestination, as an attempt to clarify the teachings expressed in Paul's letter to the Romans, specifically Romans 8:29-30, which states: "For those whom God foreknew, he also pre-destined, to be conformed to the image of his Son; and those he pre-destined, he also called; and those he called, he also justified; and those whom he justified, he also glorified."
Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam, was a prominent thinker and activist during the European Renaissance.
Known for his remarkable intellect, he played a significant role in shaping the humanist movement in Northern Europe.
ined the Augustinian Order in: In: This role ended in: m to England, as his tutor in:During this initial visit, Erasmus taught at the University of Oxford, and was influenced by John Colet's biblical teachings.
Although Erasmus supported Protestant ideals, he opposed the radicalism of some of its leaders.
In: July:He was laid to rest in Basel Minster, the city's cathedral.
Despite his loyalty to the Church of Rome, he did not receive the Last Rites, and there is no indication that he requested a priest.
This suggests, that he believed the most important aspect of faith, was a believer's personal connection with God.
His translation of the New Testament from Latin to Greek, sparked a theological revolution.
olly, was written in Latin in:To his astonishment and often dismay, it was hugely popular.
The essay, still in print today, is considered one of the most notable works of the Renaissance, playing an essential role at the start of the Protestant Reformation.
Erasmus, later expanded, and edited his work, which had been initially written in a week, during his visit to Bucklersbury in the City of London, whilst staying with Sir Thomas More and his family.
Erasmus and More, were good friends, sharing a mutual appreciation, for dry humour and intellectual pursuits.
The book, 'Moriae Encomium' had a clever underlying meaning, of praising a man named More.
The word "moría" in Greek also means "folly".
A female jester named Folly, narrates the book, which is an intriguing combination of creativity and satire.
It celebrates the exuberance of youth, and the pursuit of pleasure, while cleverly highlighting the flaws and absurdities, inherent in human nature.
The book, cheekily pokes fun at religious scholars and monks, but also recognises and appreciates the sincere devotion, displayed by everyday Christians.
Erasmus, had recently returned disheartened, from his trip to Rome, where he had declined opportunities for promotion within the Church hierarchy.
As a result, Folly progressively adopted a more critical tone.
The essay concludes with a clear statement of the Christian ideal.
“No man is wise at all times, or is without his blind side”.
In its first edition, Hans Holbein had placed a witty marginal drawing in the Folly.
The Kupferstichkabinett in Basel houses a copy that was once owned by Erasmus.
The Kupferstichkabinett is Switzerland's Museum of Prints and Drawings, renowned for having the largest public collection of hand-drawn works, watercolours, and prints in the country.
William Tyndale, is regarded as one of the greatest English biblical scholars.
His groundbreaking translation of the Bible into English, served as a central foundation for the King James Bible (KJV), also known as the Authorised Version.
ed a Master of Arts degree in:He emerged from a strong Lollard tradition in Gloucestershire, which was a pre-Reformation Christian religious movement, active in England from the mid-14th century until the English Reformation in the 16th century.
sed from Oxford University in:Their beliefs were outlined, in the Twelve Conclusions of the Lollards.
The Lollards, rejected the church's practices of baptism and confession, as being necessary for salvation.
They challenged the Church's authority to appoint priests, and believed that priests were not capable of forgiving sins.
Lollards opposed clerical celibacy, and the idea of priests holding government positions.
They considered the practice of praying to saints, and idolizing their images, to be wrong.
Additionally, they believed that oaths, fasting, prayers for the dead, and papal pardons had no basis in Scripture.
While Martin Luther influenced some of their views, William Tyndale deliberately distanced himself from the German reformer, on several key theological points.
Inspired by the works of scholars such as John Colet and Erasmus, Tyndale decided to become a priest.
However, upon discovering that he was not in harmony with the English Church, he openly criticised the practice of praying to saints, and rejected the Church's belief that only authorised clergy could interpret Scripture.
As a result, he made the breathtaking decision to produce an English translation of the Bible.
Humphrey of Monmouth, an English merchant and supporter of the early Reformation, had listened to Tyndale preach, and was aware of his desire, to bring the Bible into the hands of the English people.
As a result, Monmouth provided Tyndale with board and lodging, ensuring he had everything he needed to focus on translating the text.
Tyndale partnered with John Frith, an accomplished Greek scholar with a strong foundation in mathematics.
Frith joined Tyndale's mission and assisted in translating the New Testament.
Unfortunately, their collaboration was cut short after only six months, when they were discovered, and forced to leave England.
In:Cardinal Wolsey eventually granted Monmouth's release after appeals were made on his behalf.
Tyndale then relocated to Wittenberg, where, with the help of Franciscan friar William Roy, he continued his efforts, preparing his initial typeset for publication.
As he approached the end of his translation, Tyndale found a printer in Cologne named Peter Quentell, who agreed to print the English version of the New Testament for him.
However, the times were still dangerous, and spies were everywhere.
of the New Testament began in:His book, was designed to be the size of a modern paperback, thereby making it convenient for individuals to carry in their pockets, distinguishing it from the larger lectern Bibles typically placed in churches.
Tyndale, continued his translation work from Greek to English at his new location, likely using Erasmus's third edition of the Greek New Testament and Luther's German version as references for his translations.
In:Eventually, the authorities obtained a copy of the publication, and as expected, declared it to be heretical and erroneous.
The Tyndale Bible, commonly referred to as TYN, represents William Tyndale's collection of biblical translations into Early Modern English.
Tyndale's translations, are notable for being the first English Bible versions to be created directly from Hebrew and Greek texts.
However, they still relied significantly on the Latin Vulgate.
The Latin Vulgate is a 4th-century translation of the Bible, completed by Jerome of Stridon.
It was commissioned by Pope Damasus, as a revision to the Vetus Latina Gospels, which were used by the Roman Church.
Saint Jerome later expanded this project, to include most of the Bible.
Additionally, Tyndale's Bible was the first English biblical translation to be mass-produced, thanks to advancements in printing technology.
It’s important to note that the term "Tyndale's Bible" is somewhat misleading, as Tyndale never published a complete English language Bible.
February:St. Paul's Cross, was a popular open-air preaching location in the grounds of Old St. Paul's Cathedral in London.
It was the most important public pulpit, in Tudor and early Stuart England, and many of the most important statements on the political and religious changes brought by the Reformation were made public from here.
The pulpit stood in the "Cross yard"', an open space on the northeast side of St Paul's Church.
In: ce being ravaged by a fire in: launched another campaign in:A diptych is a form of painting, typically an altarpiece, executed on two wooden panels that are hinged, and can be closed like a book.
th of March:The accompanying image, features an intriguing, old-fashioned pulpit cross that has stood for hundreds of years in a vacant area at the north-eastern edge of the churchyard, adjacent to the church choir.
sermons at the Cross began in:As a result, the Cross became a platform for sermons, which played a significant role in promoting the Reformation.
The diptych should be viewed from the outside first.
One panel features a painting on both sides, while the second panel can be fixed to a wall.
When the diptych is closed, its outer painting depicts ships navigating the river alongside a procession of civic and religious figures.
This grand procession is led by the King and the royal family as they make their way across London Bridge into the heart of the city.
Upon opening the diptych, the first panel reveals their destination: Paul’s Cross, the preaching place where they gather to hear a sermon, calling for the rebuilding of the Cathedral.
The third and final panel, illustrates the rejuvenated church, adorned with a new cupola, portraits of the royal lineage, and angels celebrating the splendid restoration work.
ere created by John Gipkyn in: Around: In May:The Aramaic word "mammon", commonly describes wealth in biblical passages.
This book examines Luther’s sermon on Luke 16, "The Parable of the Unjust Steward”, and follows with an exploration of New Testament passages - that appear to contradict Luther's doctrine of Justification by Faith alone.
istian Man," was published in:It is famous for promoting the idea that the King should be the head of the Church rather than the Pope.
This was the first time this ideology had been proposed in English literature.
clare the Act of Supremacy in: ce of Prelates," published in:As a result, both the King and Wolsey became hostile toward Tyndale.
