The Reformation divided Western Christianity in the 16th century, with Protestants rising up in opposition to the Roman Church. Martin Luther’s 95 Theses sparked change, driven by disagreements about the nature of Christianity and the role of the church. The Counter-Reformation followed, resulting in decades of war and religious strife. Today, many branches of the Protestant and Roman Catholic churches are flourishing worldwide.
The Reformation, sometimes known as the Protestant Reformation, was an event that divided Western Christianity in the 16th century, greatly altering the nature of Christianity. Prior to this event, Christians in the West regarded the Pope as their spiritual leader, following the tenets of Roman Christianity. Later, an assortment of Protestant churches rose up in opposition to Rome, allowing Christians more choices that continue to proliferate to this day.
While many people generally agree that the reformation began in 1517, when Martin Luther nailed his famous 95 Theses to a church door, its roots go back to the 1300s, when Christians began to worry about what they saw as the major problems with the Roman Church. The dissenters were few in number, but vocal, and Luther’s incendiary act proved to be the catalyst that sparked change.
This event was primarily driven by fundamental disagreements about the nature of Christianity and the role of the church. Protestants rejected the authority of the church when it came to salvation, pushing a personal role in salvation and limiting the role of the church. Roman Catholics, however, believed in the Church as the supreme authority, with the Pope as its head. Both sides had access to the printing press, which helped advance their ideas much faster than would have been possible before.
Many Protestants accused the Roman Church of being deeply corrupt, arguing that it had strayed far from the original intent of Christianity. They pointed to widespread corruption as evidence of this, as well as the immense wealth the Church had amassed. Upstarts such as Martin Luther, John Calvin, Ulrich Zwingli, John Knox and others began preaching their own version of Christianity, advocating a return to the former Christian faith and greater simplicity, with less Church interference in religious life.
The Roman Church retaliated with the Counter-Reformation in the 1560s, as it saw the movement gain ground and become increasingly popular among European Christians. The result was decades of war, religious strife and chaos in Europe as Christians tried to maintain their position on one side or the other. Eventually, the Peace of Westphalia in 1648 ended religious strife and upheld the rights of Christians to worship in peace, although many Protestant sects continued to experience problems.
Today, many branches of the Protestant church are flourishing around the world, as is the Roman Catholic church. Leaders of Protestant and Roman religious organizations often express mutual respect and admiration, emphasizing that they share common ideals, goals, and beliefs, even if they disagree about the precise nature of the cult.
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