An Overview Of The Advances Brought By Printing In The Protestant Reformation

The Protestant Reformation is Propelled by Printing

Books were expensive before the 14th Century. There were Bibles for the church and books for scholars. Rare books were common. People were not always in agreement with the Church. They believed different from the Roman Catholics. These differing beliefs and criticisms culminated in the Protestant Reformation. It is often said that Martin Luther was the one who started it. Some historians will point to John Wycliffe and John Huss as the originators of the printing press. The printing press was a key factor in the rapid spread of the Reformation’s ideas. Without it, the religious reforms wouldn’t have been as widely spread.

People were advocating reform in the Roman Catholic church long before the printing press was invented. John Wycliffe was a proponent of clerical and religious poverty. His followers, known as the Lollards were influenced by the vernacular Bible. They advocated clerical and religious poverty. This group was based on England (Kagan 36-307). Similar movements were also occurring in Bohemia around the same period. John Huss endorsed Wycliffe’s teachings. The Czech reformers and Huss “supported vernacular Bible translations and were critical traditional ceremonies and allegedly overstitious practices,” particularly the Eucharist sacrament. The Hussites were curious about the validity of a sacrament when it was performed by a priest who is “in mortal sin”(Kagan 307). Although both groups tried to promote reforms and were in contact with each others, reforms never spread beyond their borders. This could have been due to a lack of copies of their writing, and the long and difficult process of making copies in late 1300s and early 1400s. This was “one of many reasons why the Lollards didn’t consolidate widespread support” (MacCulloch 72). How were books written at the time and how did copies be made? The process of block printing, which is a type of printing that uses blocks of paper, was used by people. Both were costly and time-consuming. A scholar would have to spend his entire life copying or modifying the original text before he could use it (MacCulloch, 73). This would have been a tedious job, so many educated people had time to do this. They would also make mistakes easily due to the amount of copying involved.

China is the origin of block printing. “Characters or images were carved into wood blocks and inked before being transferred to paper” – Kreis Clay was sometimes used instead of the wooden blocks (Martin 457). Each picture or phrase had to be carved on a new block. Reproduction was difficult. “A new block was needed for every new impression.” (Kreis). The woodcuts did not suffice. They can be divided in the press after repeated usage. A block that is not usable because it cannot be split or has to have a slightly altered imprint would be thrown away (Kreis). Block printing, while still time-consuming and tedious, was far faster than handwriting (Martin 457). Printing could be even faster, however.

Many people know something about the Gutenberg presses. However, many people don’t know the story behind the Gutenberg Press. Johannes Gutenberg was the son of a German goldsmith and jewel worker, Mainz (Hobar 2; 486). Mainz would also become “the center of printing throughout western Europe” as Kagan 338. His parents were wealthy and Gutenberg likely had a good education. His “uncle” was an expert in metal coin making (Hobar 2; 486). He worked as both a stonecutter (“Kreis”) and a Goldsmith (Major).

He began his famous Bible-project in 1452 (Kreis), indicating that he was probably working towards developing a movable press. Gutenberg developed an alloy of lead, antinomy, and tin that could melt at low temperatures and cast well in a die. It would also be durable in a press. The metal pieces were then formed with one letter of the alphabet. This was easy because the Chinese alphabet has far fewer letters than the European alphabet (Martin 457). He designed his printing press frame around a cheese pressing. Each small block had mirror-image letters embossed. Blanks could be inserted to separate words. He would arrange all the letters necessary to make sentences and words on one page, and then he would begin printing the next day. Once the layout was completed, it would be inked and a piece of paper placed on top. Finally, the heavy press would be screwed onto the paper. Hobar 2: 487). He was able to print 200 to 300 copies of one book page per day. Gutenberg’s new press could quickly reproduce books. Diarmaid McCulloch writes that “Movable text on paper was radically lower than a book to produce and, after the tedious process was over, it was exhilaratingly possible to reproduce large prints-runs. Gutenberg was able to print the Gutenberg Bible because of its simplicity thanks to his new press.

Even though Gutenberg tried hiding his technique, the new method spread quickly throughout Europe. About 2500 European towns had their own presses before the year 1500. By 1500, millions of books had been printed. Although the German masters were at the forefront of printing, the Italians quickly challenged them” (Kreis). The sixteenth-century printers were considered scholars, and the industry was regarded as a “learned occupation” (Hulme 532). The rapid spread of the printing machine helped to spread the ideas of humanism (Kreis).

Martin Luther is the most well-known religious reformer of 16th century. Ulrich Zwingli was also a major player. Martin Luther was in Germany when he was 1483. His father, a Thuringian miner, was his father. His family ensured that he got a good education. He studied from the Brothers of the Common Life at Mandsfeld and Magdeburg. He went on to the University of Erfurt. There he received his degree in 1505. (Kagan 357). Hobar wrote in volume 3 of The Mystery of History that he had “planned to be a lawyer” (89). Because of a severe lightning storm, he was unable to make it to law school. He called St. Anne and begged for help. If he was not killed, he promised to become monk. His life is what history class students learn today. He was struck by lightning and he entered an Augustinian monastery. In 1505, he was ordained as a priest (Hobar 3:89).

Luther was a monk who struggled to understand the Roman Catholic Church and the needs to change them. Luther is perhaps best known for his criticism of the Church’s indulgences. Hobar 3:90 says that he was concerned “that people might not understand the miraculous grace of God”. In his 95 Theses, he addressed the issue of indulgence sales. He believed in “justification through faith alone”, which means that a person’s salvation is not dependent on his works, but only by the faith he places in God. Kagan 387. The Church used works to justify sinners (Kagan 387). Luther believed that Scripture alone was the only authority and over all other authorities including the Pope. This was not well received by the Church, which often had “disputes over doctrines and practice” (Edwards 91).

If it weren’t for the media, Luther and other beliefs wouldn’t have been so popular. The debate spread quickly thanks to the press. The debate didn’t stop at the theologians. It spread to the streets and into shops and taverns as well as churches. Because it was accessible, everyone was discussing it (Hobar 3, 106). It was a collection of books and pamphlets, available in hundreds. The availability caused a stir among lay people (Kreis). MacCulloch states that the Bible, which is the foundation of faith and worship in the Church, was the most sought-after book (73). The Bible was actually possible, and Luther had the ability to translate it into common languages. It was accessible on a wide range of topics and cost-effective. Martin 458 says that this created a need among the poor to learn how to read. With so many books available, it was worth taking the time to learn to read (MacCulloch 75).

The printing press was a key factor in the Protestant Reformation. If one looks at other attempts to reform religious belief, prior to the printing press, they will see that these reforms didn’t spread as far as John Wycliffe or John Huss. Gutenberg was the one who designed the printing presses. Knowledge grew. The cost of books was lower and it was easier to obtain them. Printing books was not limited to pamphlets and brochures. People became more aware of the benefits of reading and began to learn how they could read. People became more literate and began to be exposed to pamphlets and religious reform papers. These pamphlets were being printed. Copies could also be sent out to relatives and friends abroad, spreading the new knowledge. The Reformation was enhanced and facilitated by the printing process.