It is said that a little rebellion now and then is a good thing, but rarely does it spark as profound a change as the Protestant Reformation of the 16th Century. A German theologian named Martin Luther struck the match by protesting the Catholic Church’s plenary indulgence, the practice allowing the wealthy to literally buy their way out of Hell. These ideas took hold amongst a swiftly growing ranks of protesters throughout Europe, eventually leading to a religious schism from the Church. Soon Lutheranism spread throughout the Holy Roman Empire, Reformed churches sprang up in Switzerland and the Netherlands, and Presbyterian congregations formed in Scotland. (Meanwhile, Henry VIII of England founded the Anglican Church to divorce his wife and marry the younger Anne Boleyn.)
A weakening was already under way in Catholicism, as humanism and the Scientific Revolution challenged accepted “holy” writ. Moreover, free thinking was abroad in the thriving urban cities and among the emerging (and determined) middle class. As often happens, this Reformation came with a lot of blood; the Thirty Years War devastated Germany and killed an estimated 25% to 40% of its population as the Holy Roman Empire sought to reassert Catholicism. The Peace of Westphalia in 1648 AD finally ended the war by insuring that each sovereign had the right to determine the religion of his state, and that Christians living everywhere had the right to practice their faith in public (during specified hours, that is).
Reform in religion is not, certainly, limited to Christianity. Reform movements within Islam and Judaism have led to new branches of the parent faith. In these, the reformers have attempted to adapt the traditional “church” to liberal, human-rights oriented values. These movements grew out of differences in interpretation of core values, emphasizing the evolving nature of their obligations and practices. Similar movements have evolved Buddhism and Hinduism, as these ancient religions seek relevance in modern civilization.
"I don't like to commit myself about Heaven and Hell, you see, I have friends in both places." - Mark Twain
“The three great elements of modern civilization: gun powder, printing, and the Protestant religion.” – Thomas Carlyle
It is said that a little rebellion now and then is a good thing, but rarely does it spark as profound a change as the Protestant Reformation of the 16th Century. A German theologian named Martin Luther struck the match by protesting the Catholic Church’s plenary indulgence, the practice allowing the wealthy to literally buy their way out of Hell. These ideas took hold amongst a swiftly growing ranks of protesters throughout Europe, eventually leading to a religious schism from the Church. Soon Lutheranism spread throughout the Holy Roman Empire, Reformed churches sprang up in Switzerland and the Netherlands, and Presbyterian congregations formed in Scotland. (Meanwhile, Henry VIII of England founded the Anglican Church to divorce his wife and marry the younger Anne Boleyn.)
A weakening was already under way in Catholicism, as humanism and the Scientific Revolution challenged accepted “holy” writ. Moreover, free thinking was abroad in the thriving urban cities and among the emerging (and determined) middle class. As often happens, this Reformation came with a lot of blood; the Thirty Years War devastated Germany and killed an estimated 25% to 40% of its population as the Holy Roman Empire sought to reassert Catholicism. The Peace of Westphalia in 1648 AD finally ended the war by insuring that each sovereign had the right to determine the religion of his state, and that Christians living everywhere had the right to practice their faith in public (during specified hours, that is).
Reform in religion is not, certainly, limited to Christianity. Reform movements within Islam and Judaism have led to new branches of the parent faith. In these, the reformers have attempted to adapt the traditional “church” to liberal, human-rights oriented values. These movements grew out of differences in interpretation of core values, emphasizing the evolving nature of their obligations and practices. Similar movements have evolved Buddhism and Hinduism, as these ancient religions seek relevance in modern civilization.
"I don't like to commit myself about Heaven and Hell, you see, I have friends in both places." - Mark Twain
“The three great elements of modern civilization: gun powder, printing, and the Protestant religion.” – Thomas Carlyle