Ok, it seems to me, from what I have read, that the reformation was created by three abuses of the Catholic Church :
1. Excess Wealth
2. Immoral Popes
3. Selling Indulgences
"...the five Vicars of Christ who ruled the Holy See during Magellan's lifetime [1480-1521] were the least Christian of men; the least devout, least scrupulous, least compassionate, and among the least chaste - lechers, almost without exception. Ruthless in their pursuit of political power and personal gain, they were medieval despots who used their holy office for blackmail and extortion."
- William Manchester (Manchester, p. 37)
What I don't understand, is how the Protestant theology came from, since the protests were against the above abuses of Church power.
The core beliefs agreed upon by the various protestors became:
1. All mankind are unregenerate sinners - there is nothing that man can do on his own to achieve salvation
2. Sin is a massive gulf between God and humans - God sent his Son, Jesus, to redeem the sins of mankind
3. Through faith in Jesus, humans can become reconciled (justified) with God
4. Salvation for humans beings is through the Grace (unmerited favor) of God only - No one is worthy of salvation
5. Mankind is not saved through works - works are a result of justification, not a cause
How did the bad behavior of 5 popes create a new theology, given that the core Catholic beliefs never changed, despite the bad behavior of some Popes?
1. Excess Wealth
2. Immoral Popes
3. Selling Indulgences
"...the five Vicars of Christ who ruled the Holy See during Magellan's lifetime [1480-1521] were the least Christian of men; the least devout, least scrupulous, least compassionate, and among the least chaste - lechers, almost without exception. Ruthless in their pursuit of political power and personal gain, they were medieval despots who used their holy office for blackmail and extortion."
- William Manchester (Manchester, p. 37)
What I don't understand, is how the Protestant theology came from, since the protests were against the above abuses of Church power.
The core beliefs agreed upon by the various protestors became:
1. All mankind are unregenerate sinners - there is nothing that man can do on his own to achieve salvation
2. Sin is a massive gulf between God and humans - God sent his Son, Jesus, to redeem the sins of mankind
3. Through faith in Jesus, humans can become reconciled (justified) with God
4. Salvation for humans beings is through the Grace (unmerited favor) of God only - No one is worthy of salvation
5. Mankind is not saved through works - works are a result of justification, not a cause
How did the bad behavior of 5 popes create a new theology, given that the core Catholic beliefs never changed, despite the bad behavior of some Popes?