Competing Visions of Reform Christianity

1 Competing Visions of Reform - Critical Response Mount Royal University RELS 3360A-001: Landmark Moments in Christianity Laura Jurgens November 12th, 2022 Synopsis of the documentary 2 The documentary "Reformation: Christianity—A History" highlights how the Reformation played out in England. The Protestant Reformation occurred in the sixteenth century when political, cultural, religious, and intellectual upheaval disintegrated Catholic Europe. The reformations developed a setting that would define the continent in the contemporary era due to beliefs and structures. Reformers like Henry VII and Martin Luther questioned the ability of the Catholic Church to define Christian practice and challenged the papal authority. The reformers significantly argued for political and religious power distribution in the hands of pamphlet- and Bible-reading princes and pastors. Henry VII's quest for a male heir started the Reformation in England. When Pope Clement VII denied Henry's annual marriage to Aragon's Catherine so that he could remarry in 1534, the English King declared that he was the sole and final authority regarding the English church. Henry VIII dissolved England's monasteries when he confiscated their wealth and focused on placing the Bible in people's hands. Luther's call for Christian freedom significantly fueled the Reformation as he asked individuals to develop their relationship with God. However, the Reformation has significantly been hijacked by politics. Kings and Queens commanded the people to convert or face horrific deaths instead of religious freedom. The Reformation swept Europe for over 50 years. Though the Catholic kings of France remained firm, Henry VIII of England significantly remained persistently loyal to the Roman Pope. Critical analysis of the Competing Visions of Reform 3 The Protestant Reformation describes a religious movement that significantly ended the ecclesiastical unity of medieval Christianity in the Western Europe of medieval Christianity. It also played a significant role in reshaping the course of contemporary history. In the 1500s, the Protestant Reformation was a religious reform movement that swept through Europe. It resulted in the formation of a branch of Christianity known as Protestantism, a term used to refer to the many religious groups that split from the Roman Catholic Church due to doctrine differences. The Reformation was influenced by various events defined by Alister McGrath in “Christian History: An Introduction,” including the Return of the Bible, the Rejection of the Papal Authority, and the Doctrine of Justification by Faith. The Return of the Bible is arguably one of the important events that influenced the Reformation. There were values and traditions that were being practiced against the roots of the culture. This event is critical to Christianity as it resulted in the renewal of the roots of culture, which was applied to Christianity itself. According to McGrath, the Return of the Bible was majorly influenced by writers like John Calvin and Martin Luther, who desired a change from abstract theological speculation and wanted to get back to the practice of living and thinking in ways rooted deeply in the Bible (McGrath, 2013). They desired a change from abstract theological speculation and wanted to get back to the practice of living and thinking in ways rooted deeply in the Bible. Luther's statements questioned the Catholic Church's role as an intermediary between God and people, particularly in relation to the tolerance system, which allowed people to purchase a credential of pardon for the punishment of their sins. Luther opposed the practice of buying or earning forgiveness, instead believing that salvation is a gift from God to those who have faith (Jurgens, 2022, Lecture on Brief History of Martin Luther). 4 The event remains a hallmark of the Reformation since the Pope's authority was resisted and undermined through the affirmation of all Christians living under the word of God's authority. The Reformation was significantly influenced by the doctrine of justification by faith, as defined by Luther and his colleagues. Humanity was considered to have fallen significantly and had been wounded and damaged by sin, which required some form of restoration and healing. According to McGrath, if humanity became righteous in God's sight due to good deeds, then the whole gospel of grace was typically comprised (McGrath, 2013). Salvation remained a gift, not something earned through merit or achievement (Jurgens, 2022, Lecture on Brief History of Martin Luther). Luther argued that Paul's doctrine of justification by faith is the defining feature of Christianity. Luther focused on renewing Augustine's reforming agenda based on what he, together with his colleagues, believed to be a new outbreak of Pelagianism within the modern church. The doctrine of justification by faith defined an important hallmark in Christianity as it ended Pelagianism and advocated for the restoration of the Christian ways of living. In conclusion, restoration defines an important era where Christian culture was restored. The Christian culture has been undermined by people living without the important doctrines defined in the Bible. Restoration could not successfully happen without the efforts of writers like Martin Luther and John Calvin. They initiated some of the important aspects, including the return of the Bible and the doctrine of justification by faith. 5 References Jurgens, L. (2022, October 19). Brief History of Martin Luther [Lecture]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6WRIWktNPk McGrath, A. E. (2013). Christian history: An introduction. John Wiley & Sons.