Church History Forerunners of the Reformation

1. Church History Forerunners of the Reformation

2. Church History Ca. 30AD 590 AD 1517 AD Ancient Church History Medieval Church History Modern Church History Reformation & Counter Reformation Apostolic Church The First Medieval Pope The Rise of the Holy Roman Empire Apostolic Fathers Rationalism, Revivalism, & Denominationalism Church Councils The Crusades Revivalism, Missions, & Modernism Golden Age of Church Fathers The Papacy in Decline The Pre-Reformers ?

3. Failure of the Clergy . . . . . . • Growing Middle Class • Papal Taxation • Rise of the Nation State • Babylonian Captivity • Great Schism Internal Reform External Opposition • Renaissance . . . • Waldensians . . . . • Nation State • Reforming Councils • Mystics • Greek Orthodox Church • Forerunners of the Reformation Christian Church in Decline

5. Girolamo Savonarola 1452 1498 23 years 6 years 8 years 8 years DominicanCloister EarlyPreachingMinistry Early Years 2 GreatControversies 1492 Columbus said the ocean blue 1450 Printing Press Leonardo DaVinci 1452 - 1519 Michelangelo 1475-1564

6. Girolamo Savonarola 1452 1498 23 years Early Years

7. Girolamo Savonarola Sept. 21, 1453 to May 23, 1498 Born in Ferrara, in nothern Italy

9. Girolamo Savonarola Sept. 21, 1453 to May 23, 1498 Born in Ferrara, in nothern Italy 3rd of 7 children His grandfather was a famous physician. He was pious andwealthy. Described as bookish & broodish, he entered the study of medicine under his grandfather Disappointed in love, despairingin joy, disturbed by the worldliness& wickedness all around him, he fled to Bologna

10. Girolamo Savonarola 1452 1498 6 years DominicanCloister At Bologna he entered the cloisterof the Dominican order, the Orderof Preachers

11. I could not endure any longer the wickedness of the blinded peoples ofItaly. Virtue I saw despised everywhere and vices exalted and held in honor. With great warmth of heart, I made daily a short prayer to God thatHe might release me from the vale of tears. “Make known to me the way,”I cried, “the way in which I should walk, for I lift up my soul unto Thee,” andGod in His infinite mercy showed me the way, unworthy as I am of suchdistinguishing grace . . . . The reasons which drove me to become religiousare these: the miserable condition of the world and the evils of which men areguilty, such as rape, immorality, robbery, pride, idolatry, cursing, all in such grave measure that it may be said that no one can be found who has anyregard for what is good. Savonarola – writing to his parents to explain his departure

12. Girolamo Savonarola 1452 1498 6 years DominicanCloister At Bologna he entered the cloisterof the Dominican order, the Orderof Preachers He studied the Scriptures, the writingsof Aquinas & Augustine, gave himselfto prayer & fasting, and committed large portions of scripture to memory He became a Hebrew & Greektutor

13. Girolamo Savonarola 1452 1498 8 years EarlyPreachingMinistry Leaves cloister & returns to Ferrarato preach where he made littleimpression “The brothers must be in greatneed of workers.” The threat of war causes him to go toFlorence. Florence was a city of the Renaissance &under the influence of the Medici family. Cosimo de Medici built St. Marks cloisterwhere Savonarola would end up in 1481. Initially his preaching met with no success,so he discarded philosophy and scholasticlearning and preached the Bible.

14. Girolamo Savonarola 1452 1498 8 years EarlyPreachingMinistry “His preaching was composed of Scripture, mysticism, dramatic ‘flashesof lightning and reverberations ofthunder,’ attacks upon corrupt and insincere clergy, and prophetic insight(an acute political and religious intuition) – enhanced in the eyes of peoplewhen some bold forecasts came true.” King Charles VIII of Franceattacked Italy

15. Girolamo Savonarola 1452 1498 8 years 2 GreatControversies Lorenzo de Medici – the Magnificentcontrolled Florence and brought itto its Renaissance heights.

16. The best known of the Medicis was Cosimo’s grandson, Lorenzo, who was known as “Lorenzo the Magnificent.” Lorenzo was not only a shrewd banker and clever politician; he was also a scholar and a poet. Under Lorenzo’s leadership, Florence became one of the most beautiful and prosperous cities in Italy, as well as a center of the Renaissance.

17. Girolamo Savonarola 1452 1498 8 years 2 GreatControversies Lorenzo de Medici – the Magnificentcontrolled Florence and brought itto its Renaissance heights. Lorenzo sought to win Savonarolaover by blandishments and praise. Piero, Lorenzo’s son, comes to leadthe de Medici family. King Charles VIII of France invadesnorthern Italy. Becomes leader of Florence, w/out a position,and begins reforms, “Bonfire of the Vanities”

18. Girolamo Savonarola 1452 1498 8 years 2 GreatControversies Pope Alexander VI, corrupt pope

19. Pope Alexander VI.1431 to 1503.Pope from 1492 to 1503

20. Girolamo Savonarola 1452 1498 8 years 2 GreatControversies Pope Alexander VI, corrupt pope Savonarola attacked the Pope’s immoral lifestylein sermons. Pope Alexander tried to bribe with money, a cardinal’s hat, and then forbid him to preach. The Pope threatened the city with an interdict, that wouldhave ruined the financial stability of the city. They began to turn on Savonarola. Letters were intercepted written by Savonarola to other European heads of state calling for a General Council Savonarola arrested, medieval test of ordeal, rainstorm, the mob stormed St. Marks. Savonarola tried, convicted, hung and his body burned.

21. Lessons Learned From Savonarola • An example of relying on the authority of the Scriptures. • True reform does not come through political reform, but throughregeneration. • Popular favor is very fickle.