Spread of Lutheranism

Q: When did Lutheranism start spreading?

Lutheranism started spreading in the 15th century, and by the 1520s it was widely spread across Europe.

Q: Why did Lutheranism spread so quickly?

Lutheranism spread quickly throughout the 15th century because of the recent invention of the printing press. The printing press allowed Lutheranism to create and duplicate leaflets, pamphlets and ways of spreading their ideas and information which lead to the vast and quick spread of its beliefs.

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Martin Luther became disillusioned with certain aspects of the Catholic Church, including indulgences and papal authority. He posted his 95 Theses on the door of the Castle Church, Wittenberg, in 1517, beginning the shift away from Catholicism. This led to his ex-communication from the Pope in 1521 and the banning of his work across all Catholic territories. He went into hiding and continued to produce work, including a complete German translation of the Bible, until he died in 1546.

Spread of Lutheranism Definition

Below is a definition integral to the understanding of this explanation.

Spread of Lutheranism

Martin Luther started Lutheranism in 1517, and it became one of the largest branches of Protestantism. Using pamphlets and printing presses, Luther and his followers were able to spread the message of their faith and spread Lutheranism across Europe, especially throughout Germany.

Lutheranism vs Catholicism

In 1517, Luther started the Protestant Reformation, and the belief system that he promoted became known as Lutheranism. 'Lutheranism' had some critical differences from Catholicism, which can be found in the table below.

At the beginning of the Reformation, there was less of an urge to enact the shift away from the Catholic Church. As time moved on, however, significant principalities adopted Lutheranism, such as the areas of Brandenburg-Ansbach by 1528, Wurrtemburg by 1534, Albertine Saxony by 1540, and the Electoral Palatinate by 1546. These significant areas of Germany had moved away from the safety and protection of the Holy Roman Empire and became rebels against the Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V.

So why did these areas decide to move towards Lutheranism?

There was a political and diplomatic reason to change; i.e. if your neighbours had shifted, it was better to keep them on your side.
There was a change in leaders of the principalities: e.g. Albertine Saxony was ruled by Fredrick the Wise until he died in 1525. Although he was sympathetic, he did not impose Lutheranism.
John Frederick I was the elector of Saxony from 1532 and imposed Lutheranism as he moved away from traditional ideology.
There was an opportunity to gain assets from the Church.
There was a genuine belief in Lutheranism and discontent with the role of the clergy in the Church.

Did you know? As Lutheranism started to spread across northern Europe, there were other Reformations taking place. An example of this is the creation of the Anglican Church in 1534. King Henry VIII split from the Roman Catholic Church, rejecting the Roman Catholic Pope's authority in Rome and establishing an independent church in England.

How did Lutheranism spread?

Spread of Lutheranism and the Counter-Reformation

The spread of Lutheranism, although successful in its own right, was not welcomed with open arms by a large part of the population. At first, the Catholic Church deployed high-ranking clergy to debate with Luther over his ideas and allow him to retract his Lutheranism views.

With the failure of this intellectual attack, the Catholic Church fought back against Luther through a threat of military action. Luther and his followers were excommunicated, and their churches were outlawed. This rise in religious tensions started the subsequent response of the Catholic Church, the Counter-Reformation, which meant an increase in Catholic education and missionary work in the hopes of maintaining the power of the Catholic Church.

Spread of Lutheranism - Key takeaways

Martin Luther helped establish 'Lutheranism' due to his disagreements with the Catholic Church at the time.
Lutheranism spread throughout Germany mainly from a 'top-down' approach, although there was some popular support in significant towns and cities.
Europe saw less of a substantial change as the ideals of other reformers became more popular.
They were able to take advantage of the 'printing revolution' to make a substantial change around Germany and parts of Europe on major trade routes as it gave a cheap and efficient way of spreading propaganda.
The main response to the spread of Lutheranism was the Catholic Church's Counter-Reformation attempts, including the increase in Catholic education and missionaries.

References

Martin Luther, (1529). The Small Catechism of Martin Luther. The Lord's Prayer.
Additional reading: Russel Taar and Kieth Randell, (2015). Luther and the Reformation in Europe, Hodder Education.

Frequently Asked Questions about Spread of Lutheranism

Lutheranism started spreading in the 15^th century, and by the 1520s it was widely spread across Europe.

At the start of the Reformation, Lutheranism spread quickly throughout Northern Germany and eventually into Scandinavia. Originating in Germany, Luther posted his 95-Theses in Wittenberg. Lutheranism was established by law in Scandinavia!

Lutheranism spread quickly throughout the 15^th century because of the recent invention of the printing press. The printing press allowed Lutheranism to create and duplicate leaflets, pamphlets and ways of spreading their ideas and information which lead to the vast and quick spread of its beliefs.

The main ideas of Lutheranism or being 'Lutheran' have three main components: Faith, Scripture and Grace alone. Lutheranism states that God loves all freely, even the sinners, rebellious and undeserving. Luther himself argued against the atonement of sins through payments, and against indulgences. These ideas are also reflection in Lutheranism.

Final Spread of Lutheranism Quiz

Question

Which League preceded the Schmalkaldic League?

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League of Torgau

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Who was the ruler of Saxony during the Schmalkaldic War?

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John

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Where did John send a large portion of his army?

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Bohemia.

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Who initially supported the Luther Princes?

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France

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When did Charles V decide to join the Schmalkaldic War himself?

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1547

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What happened to John of Saxony following the Battle of Mühlberg?

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He was imprisoned

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Who was Maurice to John of Saxony?

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Cousin.

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John's Saxon army was made mostly up of...

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Peasants

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What did Martin Luther post on the Door of the Wittenburg Church in 1517?

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His 95 Theses.

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Which of these was not an aspect of Lutheranism?

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Papal Authority.

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Where did Lutheranism originate from?

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Germany.

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Why did the Nobility convert to Lutheranism?

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There was a change in the leaders of these principalities.

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Where was the Reformation more prominent?

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Urban Areas.

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Why did the Reformation spread so much in German cities and towns?

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There were multiple reasons, such as:

- larger population.

- increased literacy.

- trade networks.

- appealed to the middle class.

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Where else in Europe was there a Lutheran Reformation?

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Denmark.

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How did Lutheran Religion spread so quickly across Germany?

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A printing revolution.

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How many Schmalkaldic Wars have there been?

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Which Catholic town did John Fredrick take with relative ease?

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Füssen.

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Who was the Pope during the Schmalkaldic War?

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Paul III.

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Who was the Chief of Charles V's armies during the Schmalkaldic War?

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Duke of Alba.

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In terms of Clerical Marriage, which religious practice supported it?

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Lutheranism.

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Lutheranism was against Iconoclasm.

T/F

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True.

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What is Iconoclasm?

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The act of removing images or monuments in worship, in other words, the destruction of icons.

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What is the Anglican Church an example of?

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One of the other religious practices that were created during this period.

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What language did Martin Luther translate the bible into in order to spread Lutheranism?

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German.

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Why did Martin Luther write his 'Small Catechism'?

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To spread Lutheranism in education.

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Fill in the blank.

The Catholic Church's first response to the spread of Lutheranism was to send ____ to Luther to ____.

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Military forces & arrest him.

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Where was the Schmalkaldic League founded?

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Schmalkalden, Thuringia.

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The Schmalkaldic League was founded in ______.

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1531.

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Who were the two leaders of the Schmalkaldic League?

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Philipp I of Hesse.

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When did the Schmalkaldic War begin?

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1546.

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More about Spread of Lutheranism

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Spread of Lutheranism

Spread of Lutheranism

Spread of Lutheranism Definition

Lutheranism vs Catholicism

How did Lutheranism spread?

Spread of Lutheranism and the Counter-Reformation

Spread of Lutheranism - Key takeaways

References

Frequently Asked Questions about Spread of Lutheranism

When did Lutheranism start spreading?

Where did Lutheranism spread during the Reformation?

Why did Lutheranism spread so quickly?

What are the main ideas of Lutheranism?

Final Spread of Lutheranism Quiz

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