1517 Albert of Brandenburg, archbishop of Mainz, sponsors a sale of indulgences to pay for, among other things, construction of Saint Peter's in Rome.

In response, Martin Luther, an Augustinian monk, posts his 95 theses on the door of the castle chapel in Wittenburg, Germany, where Luther is a university professor. The theses invite debate over the legitimacy of the sale of indulgences.

Copies of the theses spread rapidly over Europe. The papacy takes steps against Luther as a heretic. The Wittenburg faculty supports Luther.

1520 Luther publishes his three famous treatises: "An Open Letter to the Christian Nobility of the German National Concerning the Reform of the Christian Estate," "The Babylonian Captivity of the Church," and "On the Freedom of a Christian." He wins powerful support.

1521 Luther is excommunicated. He refuses to recant unless proven wrong by the Bible or by "clear reason."

1530 Many German princes and cities sign the Augsburg Confession as an expression of the evangelical faith.

1555 The Peace of Augsburg provides that each German prince can determine the religious affiliation of the territory he rules. The Reformation sweeps Northern and Eastern Europe.

Note: United Methodism is not a direct descendant of the Protestant Reformation but -- as an offshoot of the Church of England -- is a descendant of the English Reformation (beginning 1533-34) which led to the establishment of the Church of England by Henry VIII. Henry split from Rome for a number of reasons. One contributing reason was that the pope delayed and ultimately refused to annul Henry's illegal marriage to Catherine of Aragon, the aunt of Charles the V, who was putting considerable pressure on the pope to delay the annulment. Another contributing reason was the influence of Lutheranism in influential circles of Anglican theology.

Henry VIII was highly critical of Martin Luther and never adopted Protestant doctrines. However, some of his Anglican arch bishops and clergy were highly influenced by the Reformation on the continent.