Transcript Reformation Propaganda

Reformation Propaganda
The Fight for your Soul
Origins
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The use of visual media to promote ideas is
not new.
Ancient Rome built monuments that promoted
the power of the emperor or the state.
The Christian Church did the same to label
their detractors as evil or to promote the
message they wanted.
Change
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In 1439, a local printer from the
town of Mainz developed a machine
that allowed him to print using
movable type
This replaced block printing which
was expensive and cumbersome.
The printing press was able to
recreate books and pamphlets in
batches of hundreds in a short period
of time.
This promoted the idea of literacy in
the vernacular for all people.
The invention broke the hold over
information held up to then by the
church through monks who copied
many ancient books by hand.
Luther as Saint
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The image shows
Luther receiving the
insight from God
through a dove.
The halo indicates his
saint hood; something
Calvinists would
outright reject.
Pope as Infallible
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This Protestant
compares the Pope to a
Donkey / Ass.
It infers that the Pope
can interpret the word
of god as well as an
Ass can play the
bagpipes.
Pope as the Devil
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This little item is a
playing card that flips
to show the image of
the Pope as he wants to
be seen as what he
really is.
The monster is
proclaiming; “I am the
Pope”
Martyrdom
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This print shows a disfigured monk leading the
crowd in the execution of Cranmer in England.
The Multi-headed Beast
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This print compares the
Pope to the 7 headed beast
in the Book of Revelation.
Each if the heads
represents a hierarchy in
the church.
The sign on the cross
reads; “For Money, a sack
full of Indulgences”
Multi-Headed Beast II
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This print is a Catholic
portrayal of Luther as
the 7 headed beast
from Revelation.
The heads represent
him as a thief, fanatic,
hypocrite, etc.