What Was The Difference Between The Reformation And The Catholic Church

A Difference in Opinion
At the time of the Reformation, the Catholic Church was the main and universal church of England and differed in belief and doctrine from the new Protestant churches that arose on account of Martin Luther and his criticism of The Church. At that time, the Catholic Church was the center of everybody’s daily lives and they made known their authority through the teachings of the clergy and the selling of indulgences, which was paying money for the pardon of sins. In 1517, Martin Luther was so fed up with the corruption of the Church as evidenced by the selling of indulgences that he wrote a list of 95 theses that challenged the Catholic Church and made known his intention of changing or modifying the Church. Because Martin defied the Church, he was eventually burned at the stake for
heresy, but not before many people, man and woman alike, accepted and turned from The Church and started the Protestant Church.
Some differences between the Protestant and the Catholic was the kind of people who believed in Catholic versus Protestant.
For example, as shown in the German woodcuts from the late 15th century, the people who show up and listen to the Protestant teaching are shown as poor and mediocre class. They look like they are actually listening and wanting to change their personal lives as well as they are also wearing nice, but humble clothing. Also, they look like they are meeting in the street or some other isolated place. However, unlike the Protestants, the Catholics are shown as rich and wealthy people who actually meet in a building designated for Church teachings. Also, the pope looks pompous and he looks like he doesn’t believe or care what he is saying. He probably just cares for the money and trying to weasel more money from the unsuspecting congregation. Furthermore, as quoted from a hymn from the Catholic prayer book, the Catholics believed that you could go to heaven by works, but the Protestants believed that once you accepted Christ, you would go to Heaven regardless of what you did, but you had to ask forgiveness for the sins that you did when you did
them.
According to some of the documents, Johann Eck, who was the official of the Archbishop of Trier, asks why Martin seems to think that he is the only one who truly knows what the Scripture is saying and why he thinks he is more knowledgeable than the famous men who came before him and set this religion in place. He wants Martin to recant his beliefs and admit his error, but Martin Luther flat out denies him and instead stands even firmer in his beliefs. He writes he will not accept the popes and councils authority because their doctrine directly contradicts the Scripture’s teachings. Martin Luther did not like the fact that the Church sold indulgences because it contradicts what Ephesians 2:9 says, which states, “for by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not from you, it is the gift of God: it is not from works, so that no one can boast.” This verse is contradicting the Church because it basically means that you are saved by faith, and this faith is a gift, you don’t have to pay for it or work for it.
Therefore, there were many differences that set the Catholic Church and the Protestant Church apart, but the main ones were the selling of indulgences and the earning of works to go to heaven.