On the heels of the dark ages, there would proceed several new eras of growth, change and establishment within Europe. Two specific moments and one specific religious entity would work to shape the landscape of Europe in a way never before seen up to that time. The dark ages had been steeped in rigid religious prominence and cultural, intellectual, and economic decline as a whole. Attentions were centralized on rigidity, rituals, and religious observance as the primary focus in all things. The Roman Catholic church played an important role in the practices of the Dark and middle ages, and would also play a central role in the support of the shifting European narrative. New ideologies would begin to take root and grow into important principles …show more content…
It engaged deeply with literature, philosophy, art, and more reformed religion than the dark ages has presented, it fully embraced the ideas and practices associated with a humanistic worldview. Beforehand religion had played a large role in socially and politically dominating much of Europe and personal spaces. People began to seek a bit more separation in intellectual, social, cultural, and artistic expression outside of the dominance of the church. The approach was characterized by a blending of Christian principles with the wisdom of Greek and Roman philosophy and the beauty of human pursuit. “The leaders of the Renaissance broke with the world-denying ideals of the Middle Ages by stressing that earthly pleasures were legitimate …This did not mean that the Renaissance was hostile to religion” (Regent University Western Civ). As stated there was no hostility to religion but a desire to see reform in many areas, especially the hierarchal structure of authority and provision in regards to humanity. They were still deeply religious within the movement just with a new understanding of individualism. With the recognition of humanity’s beauty, and our personal intellectual abilities there was a strong desire to dismantle the preconceived ideas around hierarchical church workings. It embraced the idea that if people were capable of beauty, intellect, and wisdom they should be able to …show more content…
Reformists were upset by the ongoing rituals and practices that offered salvation and believed the authority of the church was abused, it was also an inappropriate system in regards to the feudal system much of Europe was still under. This system revealed the hearts of many church authorities and poisoned the people's faith in the shepherding of the church bishops, the serfs were the least among men and often left uncared for by the church. Key figures of the Reformation began arguing against the rigidity of the church and its abuse of power. Martin Luther was a key figure in the Reformation, he urged the church to turn back to Scripture as the ultimate authority, and he recognized through his own tortured journey for forgiveness that confessions, rituals, and other penance were in the name of fear and privilege, not love. He fought viciously for church reform and even nailed 95 statements of faith to the Castle Church in Wittenberg, resulting in his persecution. Through his work and sacrifice much of the pressures of the Reformation would eventually be seen and felt by the church in an upending
The Protestant Reformation was a cultural and political change that splintered the Catholic Church in Europe. Reformers like Martin Luther, John Calvin, and Henry VIII challenged papal authority and questioned the Catholic Church’s ability to define Christian practice. The person that had the most responsibility for this rebellion is Martin Luther. People agreed with his beliefs against the catholic church and they followed him. The Protestant Reformation affected people a lot by either unifying them or dividing them.
Ha Nguyen AP Euro Mrs. Broffman DBQ The Renaissance, which is a french word for “ “, had begun to take way in the fourteenth century, Europe, where it influence were still spreading until the late sixteenth century. Study of the classicals, mostly the Greco-Romans, were increasingly popular among the people of Europe; humanism was then starting to take shape. In the Renaissance the values and purposes of education was emphasized by humanists, who wants to use it to improve society, economic increased, and above all, to be able to restore religious beliefs.
The Reformation is an era that is widely acknowledged as a major turning point marked by substantial change politically and religiously in Western Europe and the world. This change is primarily due to the influence of Martin Luther, a man who played a pivotal role through his writings. There were many reasons for the push for the Reformation, but the main causes were political and religious. The Church was a powerhouse because the clergy comprised the majority of those who could read, the majority of Europe and most of the world believed in Christianity, and the Pope was a figurehead who had the power of excommunication. Eventually, this power would start to afflict the Church, on the outside, the Church preached its teaching, thought to be
The early sixteenth century was a time of great discontent within the Catholic Church, as many individuals and groups had long called for reform. This dissatisfaction was fueled by a variety of factors, including corruption within the church hierarchy, the sale of indulgences, and the perceived neglect of the spiritual needs of ordinary Christians. Against this backdrop, the ideas of one reformer, Martin Luther, found a receptive audience across Europe. Luther's central ideas centered around the rejection of the Catholic Church's authority, the importance of individual faith, and the concept of salvation through grace alone. By challenging the traditional religious and social order, these ideas appealed to various groups throughout Europe,
During the High Middle Ages, the Catholic Church was not just a religious institution, but also a political and economic one. It controlled vast amounts of land and wealth, and its leaders wielded significant political power. However, as the period progressed, people began to question the Church's authority in these areas. In particular, the rise of humanism and the Renaissance led to a renewed interest in classical learning and a more secular outlook on life. This secularism challenged the Church's claims to moral and intellectual authority.
Reformation In our religious history people have made many sacrifices which led to death,war,and hardships that resulted in the reformation. For example, it took one man who was a part of the catholic church to stand up against all the wrongdoings of the catholic church and led to the reformation movement. A simple man who stood up for what he believed in inspired another and expanded his discoveries. These guys made sacrifices for the greater good, but like always there was one who did things for selfish reasons. The three individuals who contributed to the reformation were Martin Luther in Germany, John Calvin in Switzerland, and King Henry in Britain.
In 1517 Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the front of the Catholic Church at Wittenburg Castle. This thesis outlined the wrong doings he felt the church was doing and he was asking for them to make a change. The theses discussed: selling indulgences is terrible and should be ended, people are saved by faith alone and not by good deeds, the Bible is the primary authority on God, not the church, and people can pray directly to God and not through the church. Because of Martin Luther’s theses the Catholic Church took certain measures to address the reformation from the period 1517-1563. The church did respond to the criticism, and they changed the laws so people couldn’t read the reformation but at the same time they continued to do the same
During the Renaissance, Europeans rediscovered the ideas of the Greeks and Romans, including the individualist, humanist,and rationalist beliefs. Prior to the 1300’s, it was human nature to have a life revolved around the Church. When the Rebirth started in Italy, people started valuing education, art and writing, a secular life rather than one ruled by religion. However, not all non religious people had the same philosophies on life. Many Renaissance Thinkers believed in individualism, humanism, and rationalism.
The Protestant Reformation was important in European History because with it came a Counter-Reformation. The Reformation revealed corruption in the Church, such as buying and selling salvation—indulgences—for profit, simony, and the overall battles for power and wealth (within the Church). Martin Luther and John Calvin were crusaders for the reformation and were able to share their ideas and beliefs effectively; they were then accepted/recognized by the people—the educated and uneducated, the middle class and nobility. Luther and Calvin’s beliefs allowed for other people to find a sense of freedom and individualism in religion.
With the church’s corruption becoming more prevalent, the Reformation era began as an offspring of the Renaissance with the goal of reforming the church. Coming out of the Renaissance, many prominent Reformers such as Martin Luther, were humanists (p10). Martin Luther’s concern for the church came from a trip to Rome in 1510, where he realized the immoral lifestyle of officials within the church. In 1515 Luther was studying Romans 1:17 when he recognized a profound revelation. The passage reads, “For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The just shall live by faith.
“Power”, former English prime minister Benjamin Disraeili once said, “has only one duty-to secure the social welfare of the People ''. Using their utmost power, the Catholic Church provided stability and security for those in society during medieval times. During the Middle Ages, the Catholic Church’s power over Western Europe became the dominant force due to their philosophical doctrine, multifaceted social strengths, and use of didactic art and theater to educate the illiterate masses. Through the establishment of Saint Augustine’s seven sacraments, the Church's doctrine was solidified, allowing for vital implementation into society. With the sacraments in place, the Church’s power over Western Europe grew exponentially, granting them non-secular
The Protestant Reformation changed Christianity from a religion with one omnipotent power, the Catholic Church, to one that encompasses new beliefs differing from the universal church. Religious factions within Christendom began to grow against the corruption of the Catholic Church which lead to the protest for reform. A rise in complaints against the church threatened the social structure of the monarch from the Pope down and challenged the doctrine and practices which provoked the movement towards religious change. As groups began to function independently of the orthodox church both in association and in theology, several theologians would gain notoriety in Europe.
In addition, Luther’s proposition of an academic debate—through the posting of the ninety-five theses in 1517—corresponds to your points concerning his focus on reform. He provided a way for a peaceful theological debate to occur, although the Reformation became much larger than this. He also encouraged the lessening of the clergy’s power which proved effective in encouraging the involvement of princes as well as laypeople. The inclusion of people from all classes assisted in broadening the influence of the Reformation. I also believe that what allowed Luther to be influential was the initial question he raised.
The Renaissance was a time to express who you were, to create things that people have never seen before and to begin to learn again. It was a time to try new thing and be a part of new movements. For John Calvin starting a new movement was not an issue in fact it was a passion of his to create a movement that glorified God, as he was Martian Luther’s Successor as the preeminent protestant theologian. The Reformation was the start to all the religious movements, and it all began with one group begin corrupt and excommunicating those who called them put on their deceit. After the people began to see the problems within the church they began to break away from the church and form new religious groups.
These ideas prompted many Catholics into finally correcting the church themselves and seeking Reformation. Martin Luther became the leading figure of the Reformation because he had openly challenged the authority of the Pope and attacked the practice of indulgences in his “Ninety-Five Theses” letter. Several other prominent Theologians such as John Calvin and Huldrych Zwingli seized upon Luther’s beliefs and Reformation swept across 16th century Europe, leading eventually to