Protestant Reformation in Europe

Document Type:Thesis

Subject Area:History

Document 1

The church was corrupt in its ways and had lost connection with the people of Europe. Initially, challenges posed to the Catholic custom were meant to reform some of the church practices. However, it eventually resulted in divisions in Christianity of Europe. This divisions along the lines of Christianity led to long-term social and political changes. Many challenges to the influence of the Catholic Church existed much early before Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses on the doors of the churches in Wittenburg (Bishop 5). This practice was challenged by King Luther when he spoke against the practice of indulgence (Becker, Pfaff, and Rubin 3). Luther termed this practice as selling forgiveness to the people. Such practices seemed to favor the rich over the poor since they could afford to buy forgiveness.

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The Great Schism was another factor that led to Reformation. Besides, many people trying to disconnect themselves from the Church, it seemed to be experiencing any major issues. For instance, in the Southern and Central regions of America, the Spanish explorers and soldiers were followed by colonists and Jesuit priests. On the other hand, the English colonies based in North America represented the whole spectrum of Christianity. The Quakers, Anglicans, Puritans, and Catholics took over the different segments of the thirteen colonies. The founding of the Anglican Church was among the most skillful religious concessions obtained during the era of religious war (Becker, Pfaff, and Rubin 5). Queen Elizabeth sought a concession between the Protestants and the Catholic Church. Also, according to Luther, salvation was an act that founded through the grace of God.

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Luther claimed that grace was an enabling power and an important gift granted by God (Bishop 6). The gift of grace would enable an individual to secure their everlasting salvation. Luther also argues that grace was not based on Church membership or even on earthly works of an individual. Rather, it was a gift that has emerged as a result of the death of Jesus Christ of the cross. A majority of the rest were forced into slavery to work in the plantations of the Spanish landowners. Furthermore, the native population’s mistreatment was always justified by their non-religious practices and denial to convert to Christianity. These contacts accidentally led to the spread of communicable diseases like smallpox which significantly reduced the general population of the indigenous groups.

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The Protestant Reformation was also the sole cause of the emergence of modern science. The Bible played a major role in the development and growth of modern science. The Protestant Reformation applied the learning concepts of Humanism which insisted on the investigation of primary sources in the native languages (Harrison 11). It was used as an actual tool when defending the doctrines of the Protestant religion. The reformers also permitted priestly marriages and confronted the medieval practices that often devalued women as temptresses. Often, women were applauded in their biblical roles as mothers and housewives. Furthermore, reformers encouraged learning in girls, something that paved the way for women to engage in the Reformation process as independent authors (Androne 81). The Protestant Reformation may be termed as a significant occurrence in Europe’s history.

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