-
He implemented the Gregorian Reforms, which were targeted at addressing issues like simony and clerical marriage, and asserting the authority of the papacy over secular rulers.
-
He founded the Franciscan Order, emphasizing principles of poverty, humility, and simplicity in stark contrast to the wealth and corruption prevalent within the Church.
-
He advocated for the translation of the Bible into English, advocating for widespread access to scripture and challenging the exclusive authority traditionally held by the clergy.
-
He openly criticized the moral corruption prevalent among the clergy, questioned the authority of the papacy, and advocated for the practice of communion in both bread and wine for laypeople.
-
He criticized the Church's corruption, called for a return to the simplicity and piety of early Christianity, and promoted humanistic scholarship.
-
He famously nailed the 95 Theses to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, igniting the Protestant Reformation by challenging the sale of indulgences and questioning numerous Catholic doctrines.
-
He spearheaded the Swiss Reformation, rejecting practices such as clerical celibacy, the veneration of saints, and the use of religious images in worship.
-
He developed Calvinism, emphasizing predestination, the sovereignty of God, and the authority of scripture over church tradition.