Roots of the Continental Reformation – Marcus Grodi

In this installment of Deep in History, Marcus Grodi looks at the series of events and ideas that made the 16th century ripe for a massive split in European Christianity. From disillusionment with Church authority, to the boom of literacy in the Renaissance era, to the rise of individualism, Marcus explores the fundamental shift in the way Europe looked at what it meant to be Christian during the days leading up to the Reformation.

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Study Questions:

-Grodi explains the hierarchy of authority in the Middle Ages (Church, Tradition, Scripture, Holy Spirit, and conscience) and then contrasts it with a reversed, modern-day example. Does this thought challenge your particular view of authority?

-What is Grodi’s response to the idea that the Catholic Church is “apostate”?

-What were some of the historical events that occurred in the centuries leading up to the Reformation? What effect do you think these historical events had on the authority of the Church in the eyes of the lay people?

-Read Matthew 23:3-5. What does Grodi say about the scandal that was present in the Church of the Middle Ages? Grodi gives three suggestions (questions) to consider when you face a movement in the Church. Do you find his suggestions helpful? Can you think of a situation in which his advice would be helpful?

-Read Psalm 11:3. At the beginning of his talk, Grodi asks, “What kind of Church are we going to leave our children?What are the righteous called to do, according to Grodi?

Vocabulary:

The Great Apostasy: The belief among some non-Catholics that the Catholic Church either became totally corrupt at some stage or that the Catholic Church is the product of pagan Rome attempting to infiltrate the Christian religion.