Compare and Contrast Religion during Reformation, Industrial Revolution, and World at War

The reformation was a drastic event in the early modern period that launched Europe into a massive conflict of widespread violence, through both political and religious factors. The political scene had remained very much the same before the beginning of the reformation in 1517, with many philosophers sharing similar ideas on how to handle the issues of sovereignty and private property. Religion was a long debated factor before the reformation however was brought inadvertently to the forefront of most political works in the early years of the Protestant Reformation. This event completely changed the way in which philosophers constructed their political discourse as seen with More and Martin Luther, who although despite being placed on

The church had a very productive way of earning money which included indulgences, threatening, and deception. According to many references, priests would threaten people that they would not get into heaven. If one did not give 10% of their income to the church and did not pay their indulgences, then it was said one would either go to hell or spend basic eternity in purgatory. When people discovered the priests were using the money for their own benefits they became unhappy. Also, another reason people grew uncomfortable with the church is because they made it seen like the only way people could have contact with God was from the church itself and by following all of their rules and regulations. Most people felt that this was unnecessary and that they should not have to pay to be in contact with God. Therefore, there is no doubt that people developed a growing discomfort with the church before the Protestant

Towards the end of the Middle Ages and into the duration of the Renaissance, the Medieval Church’s social and political power dwindled. Centuries prior the Catholic Church gained a surplus of control, largely due to the stability it maintained during the chaotic breakdown of the Western Roman Empire . Yet toward the end of the Middle Ages the Church set in motion factors that would ultimately lead to its downfall as the definitive figure of authority. However, despite political and social controversy surrounding the church, the institutions it established cleared a path for a new way of thinking, shaping society in an enduring way.

Before the start of the Renaissance, the Catholic Church influenced every aspect of society. The Renaissance and it’s ideals changed this. The Humanist movement opposed the Catholic Church’s involvement in the lives of the citizens. Humanists advocated for personal independence and individual expression, an idea that directly opposed the Catholic Church’s ideals. The Church believed that citizens should dedicate their lives to the service of God and by extension, the Church. The introduction of the idea that the Church does not control every aspect of society was revolutionary to Early Modern Western Civilization because it allowed people to pursue things that they had not been previously able to pursue because of the limitations the Catholic Church placed upon them. Although only the wealthy were able to dedicate all of their time to these pursuits, there were still significant advancements in art, literature, and science, all of which impacted Early Modern Western Civilization.

Also during the Catholic Reformation, political conditions

The church ultimately took a back seat to wealth and political

As the revolution started, work became more important to people in their lives than anything else. Many of people who were living in countryside started to move into the urbanized city to get jobs. Because they left their homes, not many people were left to care about the churches. Automatically, because of busy life, religion decreased in importance. Consequently, families became more

During the Protestant Reformation in Germany around the 16th century chaos ensued. This was lead by Martin Luther, who brought the churches lie out in the open for all to see. He told the people of the corruption within the Vatican, and how they shouldn’t have to pay indulgences. Secularism spread throughout the lands, people began turning on the church. This all went on while the Renaissance was still affecting the European nations.

The protestant reformation happened at the moment that it did because the Catholic Church was very a powerful force in Europe. It controlled people lives both spiritually and temporally. The church had so much power that it maintained political control over a large portion of Italy. The fact that the church held so much control over countries and governments became a point of contention among European countries such as the Holy Roman Empire, Italian city-states outside of Rome, England, France and Spain. The power of the rulers of these areas had greatly increased in the 14th century and they were eager to take the chances offered by a Reformation to weaken the grip of the Catholic Church in Europe and also to develop their own powers across the European continent. For quite some time the Catholic Church had been an institution rampant with internal struggles. Such as the Avignon Papacy from 1309 to 1377 when seven popes opted to live in Avignon, France and not reside in Rome which was and is the traditional home of the Papacy. The Pope and other high ranking church officials often lived opulent lifestyles rather than a more austere lifestyle that should befit a spiritual leader. Many church leaders and Popes maintained political powers. They led armies, waged wars and made many political decisions. Church offices were sold, and many Popes and bishops practiced nepotism to fill church offices. With all of these worldly issues for the Pope

If we travel back to the year 1500, the Church (what we now call the Roman Catholic Church) was very powerful both politically and spiritually in Western Europe. For some time the Church was seen as an institution weighed down by internal power struggles. Popes and Cardinals often lived more like kings than spiritual leaders. Popes claimed political as well as spiritual power. They commanded armies, made political alliances and enemies, and, sometimes, even waged war.

With newfound challenges of the Renaissance, the Protestant Reformation, and the increase in the Enlightenment’s rationalism and liberalism, an undermining of the Church began to set forth a new era and problems for the Church that they tried to come back from. Reorganizing at Trent set a new grim determination for the Church that catapulted their morale against ideas of modern culture. The last of these increasing troubles being the French Revolution, after which an immense religious revival manifested into the conversion of the elite in Europe, and extended their reach to every corner of the world, but mostly focusing on the moral problems taking place in the 19th century influenced by the Industrial Revolution. In the 20th century, the Church’s opposition to modernism came to an end when Pope John XXIII, with extreme boldness, turned its back on four centuries of extreme

With the Reformation came a number of leaders with many different theologies and ideas. Some worked so hard and risked so much that whether one agreed with their views or not, their effort and sacrifice demand respect. Others, however, became disillusioned, aggressive, or used this period of religious tension to their own advantage.

The certain morality of the lawful pursuit of wealth gives businessmen both a clear conscience and the ability to employ motivated workers who themselves constantly labor for the glory of God. The businessmen’s conscience is further cleared by the thought that the unequal distribution of goods is part of God’s plan – it is God’s secret choice to bestow grace as he wishes. The workers “calling”, in contrast, is to labor regardless of the wage, striving to glorify God and secure status as the elect. The ascetic lifestyle of a poor worker is also glorified, as the worker lives as the apostles once did. The attitudes of both the businessmen and the worker in the modern economic relationship naturally flow from ascetic Protestantism.

As I grew up I saw how the church created an ideology for my parents that justified its excessive exploitation of them and how they simply accepted this ideology even though it went against many of our best intrests. We missed meals on a regular basis because the church demanded 15% of all of our income when we had very little to give. In the text book it gave an example of medival European society; “the ruling class could promote its interest through the Church”. My parents church promoted it’s intrests and my parents simply accpted this ideology that caused major finacial strain on them and on

The period immediately following the Protestant reformation and the Catholic counter reformation, was full of conflict and war. The entire continent of Europe and all of it's classes of society were affected by the destruction and flaring tempers of the period. In the Netherlands, the Protestants and the Catholics were at eachother’s throats. In France it was the Guise family versus the Bourbons. In Bohemia, the religious and political structures caused total havoc for over thirty years; and in England, the Presbyterians thought that the English Anglican Church too closely resembled the Roman Catholic Church. Religion was the major cause of the widespread