How were the motives, of King Henry VIII, for religious change/reformation different from those of John Wyclif, Martin Luther, or John Calvin? And write like a fifth grader.
King Henry VIII, John Wyclif, Martin Luther, and John Calvin were all important figures in history who played a role in religious change and reformation. While they all wanted to change certain aspects of the church, their motives were quite different.
Let's first talk about King Henry VIII. King Henry wanted to have a son so he could continue his royal line by having a strong heir. He also wanted to divorce his first wife, Catherine of Aragon, because she couldn't give him a son. However, the Pope, who was the head of the Catholic Church, didn't allow divorce. So, King Henry decided to break away from the Catholic Church and created his own church called the Church of England. This way, he could have the power to divorce and marry someone else. His motives were more selfish and focused on his personal needs and desires.
Now, let's move on to John Wyclif. He lived a long time before King Henry VIII, during the 14th century. Wyclif was a philosopher and religious reformer who criticized the power of the Catholic Church. He believed that the church should have less political influence and that people should have direct access to the Bible. Wyclif wanted to make changes to bring the church back to what he believed were its original teachings. His motives were mainly about promoting a more pure and simplified form of Christianity by encouraging people to read and understand the Bible for themselves.
Next, we have Martin Luther. Luther was a German monk in the 16th century who had a strong desire to reform the Catholic Church. He was upset with the selling of indulgences, which were like forgiveness certificates people could buy from the church to lessen their sins. Luther believed that faith in God and following the teachings of the Bible were the most important aspects of Christianity. He wanted to change certain practices of the church and make it more focused on spirituality and personal connection with God. Luther's motives were centered around improving the spiritual state of the church and its followers.
Finally, there's John Calvin. Calvin was a French theologian who lived during the same time as Luther. He had some similar beliefs about reforming the Catholic Church, but he took it a step further. Calvin believed in predestination, which means that God chooses who will be saved and who will be damned even before they are born. He wanted to create a society that was governed by God's laws and teachings. Calvin's motives went beyond just religious reform, as he wanted to establish a community that followed strict religious rules in all aspects of life, including government and daily activities.
So, as you can see, while all these figures aimed for religious change and reformation, their motives varied. King Henry VIII wanted personal gains, John Wyclif wanted a return to simpler Christianity, Martin Luther aimed to improve the spiritual state of the church, and John Calvin sought to establish a society based on strict religious principles.