Reformation

Saint Francis of Assisi (Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone)

1182

Francis of Assisi was born in 1182 in Italy. He was a Catholic friar. He was born into a rich family, but after the war he reounced his wealth and continued to live in apostolic poverty. He was an itinerant preacher. He established the order of the Franciscans in 1209. He died in 1226 andd was canonized in 1228 by Pope Gregory IX. He is the patron saint of the environment and animals because he really loved and respected them.

John Wycliffe

1320

He was born in 1320. He was an english theologian and reformer. He was burned at the stake in 1384 and declared as a heretic because he translated the Bible to English. His teaching had an impact on Jan Hus.

Jan Hus

1369

Jan Hus was born in 1369. He was a Czech theologian, reformer and philosopher. He was influenced by John Wycliffe. He critized the Roman Catholic clergy. He was burned at the stake in 1415 and was declared as a heretic.

Erasmus of Rotterdam

1466

Erasmus of Rotterdam was born in 1466. He was a Dutch Catholic priest and humanist. He edited The New Testamentum. He also translated several prayers and books. He had criticisms of the church, but remained a member of it.

Pope Paul III.

1468

He was born in 1468 and he was the Pope rom 1534 to 1549. He accepted the new Catholic orders e.g. Jesuits. He started the Counter- Reformation. In 1545 he called the Council of Trent. He died in 1549.

Martin Luther

1483

Luther Martin was born in 1483. He was a Geman Augustine monk and professor of theology at the University of Wittenberg. He translated the Bible to German. He critized The Roman Catholic Church's teachings especially the letters of the indulgences. He sent his theses to the bishop on 31st of October in 1517. He didn't want to established new Church, he wanted to reform it. In 1520 he was excommunicated by Pope Leo X. He was declared as a heretic in 1521. He is the father of Protestantism.

Thomas Müntzer

1490

Thomas Müntzer was born in 1490. He was German radical reformer and apocalyptic preacher. His teaching was the anabaptism. They rejected child baptism.Luther condemned him. He was a leader of the German Peasant's War. He died in 1525.

Ignatius of Loyola

1491

He was born 1491. He was a Spanish Catholic priest and theologian. He was very important in the Counter- Reformation. He foundedt he Society of Jesus, Jesuits in 1541. They had excellent theological education and jesuit missionaries were sent to the colonies. They were diplomatic representatives of the Catholic Church and prevented prevented the futher spread of Protestantism. He died in 1556 and as canonized in 1622. He is the patron saint of all spiritual retreats.

John Calvin

1509

John Calvin was born in 1509. He was French theologian and reformer. He fled from France to Switzerland and settled in Geneva. He believed in predestination, democratic Consistory and theocracy. He wrote The Institutes of the Christian Religion. He is the founder of a new church, Calvinism. He died in 1564.

Michael Servetus

1511

Michael Servetus was born in 1511. He was a Spanish physician and theologian. In his book De Trinitatis erroribus he denied the existence of the Holy Trinity. He fled to Geneva, where he was declared as a heretic by John Calvin and burned at the stake in 1553.