Pecularities of Protestant Reformation

 The Protestant Reformation was an extremely important historic event. It opened the world to a new modern era, giving birth to freethought and voicing differing opinions of religion and politics. The news of a recently developed religion quickly spread throughout Europe, earning various standing from the countries. This essay explores the impact the Protestant Reformation had on Europe and the hand it played in modernizing the continent. 

          Martin Luther was a German-born philosopher and front runner in the Protestant Reformation. Luther found trouble with the way the Catholic Church was being run. He strongly disagreed with their system of pardoning or indulgences, which were fines paid by the people to the church in order to have their sins forgiven. Luther believed no one should have to pay to receive God's forgiveness, that forgiveness was about repenting. Luther did not think the pope should be given absolute power. He expressed his distaste of this by saying, The Romanists have no basis in scripture for their claim that the pope alone has the right to call or confirm a council...Now when the pope deserves punishment, this ruling no longer obtains, for not to punish him by authority of a council is harmful to Christendom...1 Luther felt religion should be more personal, that it was the individual's responsibility to read the scripture and make of it what they will, they should be the one speaking directly to God, not just the pope. To preach Christ means to feed the soul, make it righteous, set it free, and save it, provided it believes the preaching. Faith alone is the saving and efficacious use of the Word of God...2 The behavior of the church infuriated Luther to the point where he could not stay silent; thus, the 95 Theses were written and nailed to the door of the Wittenberg Castle church. This caused some repercussions; Luther was given a trial and was then excommunicated from the church, driven into hiding3 , and later found a new church and religion. 

              Inspired by the Protestant Reformation, while not agreeing with its theologies, King Henry VII decided to break away from the Roman Catholic Church as well, but for a different reason. Catholicism had outlawed divorce and with Henry VII desperate to divorce his first wife, Catherine of Aragon, and marry Anne Boleyn, he made a new church4. The Church of England was founded in 1534, with King Henry VII assuming the position of Supreme Head. His actions were not greeted warmly by the pope causing the king to be excommunicated from the Roman Catholic Church. The monarchs that followed Henry VII's opinions on Protestantism varied. Edward VI supported Protestantism, even practicing it himself. Mary I, however, did not. Raised Catholic, she felt the need for the country to return to it. Dubbed Bloody Mary5 for her tendency for executing Protestants. Though, this plan may have backfired as this only piqued interest for the religion after seeing the commitment these martyrs had for Protestantism. Queen Mary I failed in converting England back to Catholicism. After her death, her sister Elizabeth I restored Protestantism and the Church of England is still standing today. 

            Ireland's favorite religion has been and continues to be Catholicism, it seeming to be the part of the United Kingdom that was least affected by the reformation. While some strains of Protestantism were present, the only real break Ireland took from Catholicism was during the rise of the Church of England. Today, the majority of Ireland is Christian and Catholicism being the preferred branch. 

           Now moving to Spain, who was a strictly Catholic country. Spain and Germany had a good relationship at the time of the beginning of the Reformation. Because of the two countries' continual communication, it was an easy task for word of the Protestant Reformation to make its way throughout Spain6. Many reformers' writings were translated and distributed in Spain whilst the people traveled to and from. Though ultimately, the Protestant Reformation had very little impact on Spain because of their unacceptance of non-Catholic religions. 

             In France, Henry of Navarre ruled at this time. He renounced his Protestant upbringing7 and called for France to stay Catholic, refusing to recognize Protestantism as a religion. Soon, Calvinism emerged, and its popularity could not be ignored by the French government. The monarchy, though, keep this wave of curiosity under control for a time. But, during the comings and goings of rulers, the intertest in Protestantism in France remained. Eventually, after many years and changings within government, the French people could now choose whether to follow Catholicism or Protestantism8. 

           The Reformation had little impact in Italy because of the church's thorough censorship. Because of this, the country stayed Catholic as the reformation barely made a dent in the already strongly established religion. Though, there are a few various religions and churches9 scattered through Italy, it is still predominantly Catholic even today. 

          Sweden, before the Protestant Reformation, was mostly Catholicism, but quickly switched over during the Reformation. There have been many ups and downs regarding involuntary conversion to the religion. In Sweden, during the 18th century, converting to Lutheranism was enforced, which goes directly against the whole notion of the Protestantism Reformation- to have a personal (and desired) relationship between the individual and God. Fortunately, the practice of enforcing Lutheranism in Sweden was abandoned, and the people could now worship the way they pleased. Now, religious preferences in Sweden are separated into three divisions. The first being the ones who are indifferent when it comes to religion. The second is the portion who strictly follow the old ways of religion. The ones who disapprove of lipstick, smoking, drinking, and regard the present generation as a godless, pleasure-bent, doomed generation.10 And the third is the group of nonconforming Protestants and Catholics. 

                The spread of the Protestant Reformation has a positive aftermath. It gave people new ideas and the courage to express them. After seeing the plight of the Protestant martyrs, other opinionated individuals voiced stances on other issues and topics. 

                From the Protestant Reformation we have the Enlightenment. This was a movement of new progressive thought, also known as The Age of Reason. The Enlightenment brought thinkers like John Locke to the table. He called for changes within the government. Best known by his idea of the Natural Right to life, liberty, and property and the notion that if the government is abusing its power, the people have the right to overthrow the government and elect a new one. He claimed the government existed for the purpose of ensuring the natural rights and well-being of the people. Locke said, ...these laws ought also ought to be designed for no other end ultimately, but the good of the people.11 Another example of a prominent Enlightenment thinker is Cesare Beccaria, who changed the justice system. He voiced his position on the use of torture and the importance of a fair trial. Baron de Montesquieu had new ideas on the government; moving away from monarchies, he called for the separation of powers and branches of government. In The Spirit of Law, Montesquieu wrote, When the legislative and executive powers are united in the same person, or in the same body of magistrates, there can be no liberty, because apprehensions may arise lest the same monarch or senate should enact tyrannical laws {that he may} execute them in a tyrannical manner. 12  Though Montesquieu ended up influencing the United States more so than Europe, these ideas are still relevant today and are widely used around the world. Without the help and push of encouragement provided by the Protestant Reformation, our religious views, political, and justice systems may not be has advanced as they are in present day. 

            The religion of Protestantism has been loved and hated, adopted and rejected for centuries. New branches of Christianity are heavily scrutinized. Some countries, opposed to change, very quickly looked over the possibility of converting to Protestantism. Having been so deeply devoted to Catholicism for so long the thought of leaving seems ludicrous. Many philosophers from the Enlightenment have played a part in changing the ways of world because they voiced their beliefs and advocated for these developments, much like the leaders and believers of the Protestant Reformation did.  

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