Economic Causes of the Protestant Reformation
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Although the Protestant Reformation officially began in the 16th century, it is sometimes thought to comprise the work of many religious reformers beginning in the 14th century, around the time when the Renaissance began. For example, Jan Hus of Bohemia attempted to change the Catholic Church in the late 14th century but was executed at the Council of Constance in 1415.[1] The Lollards, followers of John Wycliffe, an Englishman who translated the Bible into English, and Waldensians, followers of Peter Waldo, were also persecuted by the Church. Although these men (and others) did not see their work spread throughout Europe as Luther, Calvin, and Zwingli did, they were significant forerunners who began to introduce controversial teachings to the people of Europe.[2]
Martin Luther is generally considered to be the first successful reformer in Europe. According to legend, in 1517, he nailed his “Ninety-Five Theses” to the door of the church in Wittenberg.[3] This treatise disputed the sale of indulgences by the Catholic Church in order to increase its revenues to pay debts and build new churches. It was subsequently printed and distributed throughout Europe. At the same time, Zwingli in Zurich and Calvin in Geneva were preaching against the Catholic Church. In 1529, the separation of Henry VIII, King of England, to form his own national church led to fighting between the new Church of England and the diehard Catholics of the island.[4]
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Thus, the 16th century saw the development of a sharply divided continent along religious lines. But what made the difference between the early reformers, who only influenced smaller
regions, and the later ones, who affected entire nations such as Germany or England? According to Ekelund, Hebert, and Tollison,[5] historians often view the Reformation as a product of the conflict between emerging nations and emerging cities, and its success or failure a reflection of the modern nation-state as well as a number of dynastic wars .[6] Others maintain that the difference was based on the economy when early reformers appeared compared to the economy in the 16th century.[7] During the late 14th to the 15th century, Europe was in flux as it changed from a primarily natural economy based on land to a money economy. Ekelund and colleagues stated that the population was becoming more urban and family structures were changing.[8] They also indicated that by the beginning of the 16th century, the Catholic Church’s monopoly over the economy – which it had controlled by requiring members of a parish to work the Church’s land, by selling indulgences, and by maintaining an overall domination of daily life – had slipped badly.[9]
The topic of the economic causes of the Reformation is an excellent one because there is controversy over this topic and its effects. Unlike some themes, it is still disputed, and there is enough material available that can be researched in order to discuss both sides of the issue. It is
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also clear that there were additional causes and influences regarding the Reformation, but it is possible to focus on primary drivers of Protestantism and how they varied according to areas of Europe. Two secondary sources identified while researching this topic were (a) Timothy George, Theology of the Reformers, from the B&H Publishing Group, published in 2013, and (b) Robert B. Ekelund, Jr, Robert F. Hébert, and Robert D. Tollison, “An economic analysis of the Protestant Reformation,” published in the Journal of Political Economy 110, no. 3 (2002): 646-671. Both of these sources discuss the history of the Reformation and the possible causes for it including social, political, and economic changes.
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Bibliography
Ekelund, Jr, Robert B., Robert F. Hébert, and Robert D. Tollison. “An economic analysis of the Protestant Reformation.” Journal of Political Economy 110, no. 3 (2002): 646-671.
George, Timothy. Theology of the Reformers. Nashville, TN: B&H Publishing Group, 2013.
Johnston, Andrew. The protestant reformation in Europe. London: Routledge, 2016.
