page_title: Protestantism in Germany
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Protestantism in Germany / History
caption_attribution_description: English: Sternberg ( Mecklenburg ). Parish church: Stained glass window ( 1895 ) commemorating the introduction of the protestant Reformation in Mecklenburg in 1549 - Martin Luther, flanked by Henry V of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and Johann Albrecht I of Mecklenburg-Güstrow.Deutsch: Sternberg ( Mecklenburg ). Pfarrkirche: Buntglasfenster ( 1895 ) zur Erinnerung an die Einführung der Reformation in Mecklenburg 1549 - Martin Luther, flankiert von Heinrich V von Mecklenburg-Schwerin und Johann Albrecht I von Mecklenburg-Güstrow.
context_page_description: The religion of Protestantism, a form of Christianity, was founded within Germany in the 16th Century Reformation. It was formed as a new direction from some Roman Catholic principles, led initially by Martin Luther, later by John Calvin.
context_section_description: The Protestant Reformation began with the publication of '95 Theses’ by Augustinian monk Martin Luther in 1517. The key elements of this religious upheaval was a break from Roman Catholicism’s emphasis on tradition, favouring a focus on the Bible. The lasting effects of Martin Luther’s Protestant movement within Germany was to question its existing power structures, imploring lay nobles for church reformation, critiquing the Roman mass, sacraments and seeking to reaffirm the importance of faith in good works. His subsequent excommunication from the Church ensured Germany had an ideological divide between Protestant sects and other Christian denominations. Another prominent reformer, Martin Bucer, introduced the rite of communion to German Protestantism and promoted Protestant unity, ensuring the anti-Baptist sect re-joined the wider church. John Calvin, whose writings formulated the Calvinist movement, emphasised the importance of Old Testament Law. Martin Luther called upon the assistance of German princes to further the Protestant movement, namely Phillip of Hesse who convened the Marburg Colloquy where key Protestant theologians agreed on theological questions relevant to Germany. The Marburg Colloquy reforms included a restructuring of the Protestant Church in the light of the early church, the dissolution of monastic communities, establishment of Protestant universities, the regular inspection of Parishes and the conversion of nuns and monks. The Thirty Years’ War, that took place from 1618 to 1648, stunted the theological development of Protestantism in Germany due to the severe reduction in population it triggered, with estimates suggesting as much as 90% of the German population was lost and barbary was common.
caption: Stained glass window within the Sternberg Protestant Parish in Mecklenburg, commemorating the introduction of Protestantism in the region in 1549.
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