The Protestant Reformation: A Timeline that Changed the World... Forever

The Reformation

Period: Jan 1, 1500 to Dec 31, 1610

95 Theses

Oct 31, 1517

Martin Luther posted theses on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg.
His 95 These propounded two beliefs - that the Bible is the central religious authority and that humans may reach salvation only by their faith and not by their deeds.

Diet of Worms

Jan 1, 1521

Martin Luther was invited to Worms by the Emperor. Both the Church and Emperor wanted Luther to recant his teachings while he was there, but Luther denied to take back what he had said.

Henry VIII "Defender of the Faith"

Oct 11, 1521

A title belonging to the sovereign of England.
The title was first conferred by Pope Leo X on Henry VIII as a reward for the king's pamphlet Assertio septem sacramentorum adversus Martinum Lutherum, written against Luther.

Marburg Colloquy

Nov 8, 1529

This was the meeting between Ulrich Zwingli and Martin Luther. The desired outcome for the meeting was unity within the Protestant world so that it presented a united front to the Catholic church.

Augsburg Confession

Jun 25, 1530

28 articles that constitute the basic confession of the Lutheran churches.

Act of Supremacy

Jan 1, 1534

English act of Parliament that recognized Henry VIII as the "Supreme Head of the Church of England."

English Reformation

Dec 16, 1534

A series of events in England by which the church of England broke away from the authority of the Pope and the Catholic Church.

Execution of Sir Thomas Moore

Jul 6, 1535

Thomas Moore is known for his 1516 book Utopia and for his untimely death in 1535, after refusing to acknowledge King Henry VIII as Head of the Church of England.

John Calvin "Institutes of Christian Religion"

Sep 24, 1536

This book was written as an introductory textbook on the Protestant faith for those with some previous knowledge of theology and covered a broad range of theologicl topics from the doctrines of church and sacraments to justification by faith alone and Christian liberty.

William Tyndale's Execution

Oct 6, 1536

William Tyndale was an English scholar who became a leading figure in Protestant reform in the years leading up to his execution. He is well known for his translation of the Bible.
He was convicted of heresy and executed by stangulation, after which his body was burnt at the stake.

Society of Jesus

Sep 24, 1539

Saint Ignatius was a Spanish Knight who underwent a spiritual conversion. He devoted himself to God. The society of Jesus was founded as an answer to the Reformation, and Jesuits were to only accept men who have been Catholics for three or more years.

Council of Trent

Jan 1, 1545

Important for its sweeping decrees on self-reform and for its dogmatic definitions that clarified virtually every doctrine contested by the Protestants.

Peace of Augsburg

Sep 25, 1555

This was the first permanent legal basis for the existence of Lutheranism as well as Catholicism in Germany, by the Diet of the Holy Roman Empire assembled earlier that year at Augsburg.

Edict of Nantes

Apr 13, 1598

This was the temporary end to the ferocious religious wars between Roman Catholics and Protestants.

King James Bible

Jan 1, 1604

An English translation of the Christian Bible for the Church of England begun in 1604 and completed in 1611.