Old Order

Ptolemaic system

view of the heavens

Copernican system

Late Medieval Philosophy

Ockham's razor argued the simpler explanation is to be preferred

• Realism
  • Universals are "real"

• Nominalism
  • The only thing "real" are the names we put on things
  • Particulars are all that we experience and "know"

Nominalism & Theology

• Ockham (God can do anything)
• 14th c. as focus of mysticism (Meister Eckhart)
• Julian of Norwich (Mother Jesus)

Protest against Church authority

• Competing popes
• Church offices for sale
• John Wycliffe: the Bible could provide foundation to reform Church authority
• John Hus: populist, all should receive communion, clergy are corrupt

Luther:

Faith alone, scripture alone

• Development of Humanism, Erasmus,
• justification
• movement set in motion through controversies

Luther against the world

• reaction to nominalism
• earning salvation
• indulgences, Purgatory, 95 theses
• influence of printing

Humanists

• valuing ancient texts
• questioning authority
• human-centered, observation-oriented
• free-will debates
• authority
• Müntzer and "inner voice of the Spirit"

Zurich & Zwingli

• absolute authority of Scripture
• original sin as "disease"
• "God determines the course of events"
• … and the *Lord's Supper

Radical Reformation

• pacifists & violent revolutionaries
• eccentric individualists and tightly knit communities
• biblical literalists & those following "inner voice of the Spirit"
• i.e. those who failed to establish territorial church

3 useful divisions?

• anabaptists
• Spiritualists
• anti-Trinitarians

Lutheran Developments

• Luther's influence: translating the Bible & getting married
• "priesthood of all believers"
• systematizing of Melanchthon – caution & moderation
• compromoise on nonessentials (adiaphora)

5 Themes – Questions

• Humanity / Divinity of Christ
• Spirit and Structure
• Reason and Revelation
• Works and Grace-
• Church and State

Others?

Group work on Luther/Zwingli

• What stands out in your reading?
• What is the issue that is being debated? What is the background controversy?
• 1 question you would like to ask the person
• How relate to the 5 questions?