Introduction
What is the Protestant Reformation?
The Protestant Reformation, also known as the Protestantism, is commitment to the custom of the Christian ideology which is normally considered as Protestantism instead of Catholicism or Eastern Orthodoxy. In tradition the Protestant Reformation involves all churches that are external from the Roman Catholic and Orthodox Church traditions. The name, Protestantism, originated when people who supported the Protestant Reformation were called Protestants because they disapproved of the way things were done due to papacy and Roman rule in the church.
Investigation
How the Protestant Reformation startedThe Protestant Reformation stated during the 16th century, there was a religious; intellectual; political and cultural disruption to disintegrate Catholic Europe, caused by the Protestant Reformation. The Protestant Reformation was set in place for the beliefs and formations that would stipulate Europe in the modern age. Protestant churches declare the theories of the Protestant Reformation that was set by Martin Luther in 1517. The theories that were put in place come from Martin Luther's 95 Theses which was a book with a list of theories for theoretical debates.
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People involved in the start of the Protestant Reformation
Protestantism was started when Martin Luther, a German monk; priest and professor of theology; John Calvin, a French reformer; pastor and theologian; and many others decided to break from the Roman Catholic Church because of the nature, structure and the differences to the theology applied in the Roman Catholic church. They also felt that the ecclesiology (which is the investigation of the Christian church) of the Roman Catholic Church was abusive. The followers of the Protestant church shared an attachment to the Hebrew scriptures and the New Testament. They also shared an attachment to the Christian doctrine of salvation.
The ignition of the Protestant Reformation
On the 31st of October 1517, Martin Luther hung the 95 Theses, which was a book of theoretical debates originally published on the 10th of November 1517 and written by Martin Luther, on the door of the Wittenberg Castle Church. This sparked the start of the Reformation which was the separation of the Roman Catholic Church and the Protestant Church.
Communions of the Protestant church
Along with Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy, Protestantism is one of three major Christianity subdivisions. Protestantism is formed from a split with Roman Catholicism, in the 16th century during Reformation, it is made up of many communions that consist of a large variation of beliefs and religious practices. Protestantism includes many different communions such as the Lutheran Church, which was named after Martin Luther; the Presbyterian Church, which is in link with John Knox and there are also the Baptists who are also known as the Free Church movement and is linked with communions that only baptize those who are true believers.
Protestantism communions differ to the levels that are maintained or discarded by the Roman Catholic forms of worship. Despite its differences to other Christian subdivisions it does share the Christian core beliefs in the doctrines of the Trinity and the sanctitude of Jesus Christ. It also believes in the importance of Jesus' crucifixion as the essential requirement to save humans from the repercussions of sin and the resurrection for salvation. The Anglican Church which is the church of England and the Lutheran Church stuck to rituals similar to those followed by the Roman Catholic Church, in comparison to other communions such as the United Church of Christ and Baptists, who have created forms of worship that are not as liturgical as the other churches.
Objectives achieved by the Protestant Church
The Protestant Reformation accomplished some of its objectives throughout the years. The Protestant Reformation has achieved the goal of making the Bible available to common people and also available to everyone who wishes to take possession of it instead of those who are paid to interpret it by profession or politically. The Protestant Reformation also took away power from the pope because too much power in the hands of an individual person can be bad for people under the rule of that particular person. This has been witnessed through secular political leaders, such as Stalin; Napoleon and Hitler, and this has also been witnessed through corrupted popes who created the inquisition, an ecclesiastical dispute, and those who also lead Europe during the prehistoric ages.
The Protestant Reformation allows people to live by faith and express their belief in Christ whereas the Roman Church was caught up in a diversity of showing faith through works and giving money to the Roman Church. Protestantism also abolishes people's views on the conception that they can bribe God for redemption on their sins. People would pay money to the church so that their sins could be forgiven and so that their relatives and themselves could be granted entry into heaven. It also made it clear to the congregation that the church didn't need any money from them involved because Jesus' death reigns supreme over any human sin.
Disadvantages of the Protestant Reformation
As much as the leaders of the Protestant Reformation thought that what they were doing, by starting the Protestant Church, was beneficial it also came with disadvantages. Being that the power and confederation of the Catholic Church had been broken, it lost its cultural; economic and political power, so it could no longer have an influence over each section of society. So therefore, this could have eventually put an end to Christendom, which is the kingdom of God having power over nations, and it could have also ended the renaissance of individual Christianity. While the Catholic Church was being disintegrated, it lost power in both the secular world and religious world, people started searching for answers in an earthly way opposed to divine revelation. Also seeing that there are many communions and churches that claim they know the truth, people end up doubting and questioning their faith in who can really interpret the Bible in a way that is truthful. The culture of the church is also slowly dying down because people are no longer putting their money; time and talents together to contribute towards preaching the gospel. Germans also witnessed what they still claim as the worst war in their history, more devastating than World War one and two, which was the 30 Years' War of Germany. It also led to multiple wars in France which was between the Huguenots (French Protestants) and the Roman Catholics. Protestantism carried on setting Western Europe against its own people; Russia and the Eastern Church. England withdrew itself from Europe and broke away from those following the Anglican Church.
Conclusion
In conclusion the Protestant Reformation is the commitment to the custom of the Christian ideology. People who followed Protestantism were named Protestants because they protested against papacy and Roman rule in the Roman Catholic Church. It started during the 16th century when Martin Luther; John Calvin and others decided to leave the Roman Catholic church due to differences in the nature; structure and theology applied in the Roman Church. This led to disruption to disintegrate Catholic Europe because Protestants live by theories formulated by Martin Luther in 1517 that come from his 95 Thesis. Protestantism is one of the three major Christianity subdivisions alongside the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox. It also includes multiple communions such as the Lutheran Church; Presbyterian Church and Baptist. It shares its Christian core beliefs and the importance of crucifixion. The Protestant Reformation had its disadvantages such as the fact that the Catholic Church lost its cultural; economic and political power. It could have also put an end to Christendom since people started searching for answers in an earthly way and people also started doubting their faith. The church culture also slowly started declining. Protestantism also had a positive impact on people because they no longer felt the pressure to contribute money to the church as a way to repent for their sins or enter into heaven. People also gained an understanding of the significance of Jesus' crucifixion and how it reigns supreme over any sin committed by humans.
Reflection
The Protestant Reformation was good to a greater extent because, although it was not perfect and had its flaws, it allowed people to grow peacefully in the church environment. It allowed people to understand the Bible from their own perspective and views. The Protestant Reformation helped people understand that they did not owe a living human being anything because Jesus was crucified for their sins and that was the only essential requirement for them to be saved from the repercussions of sin. It also made people come into terms with the fact that the pope is not equal to God and is not one to grant entry into heaven and cannot abolish the consequences of sin upon payment. It also allowed people to have a primary source on the Bible and not have a secondary source that might have biased views.
References
- Editors, H. (2009, December 02). History. Retrieved January 28, 2019, from The Reformation: https://www.history.com/topics/reformation/reformation
- Essays, UK. (2018, November ). Retrieved January 28, 2019, from Pros and Cons of the Reformation: https://www.ukessays.com/essays/history/pros-and-cons-of-the-reformation.php?vref=1
- Patheos. (2008). Retrieved January 2018, 2019, from Religion Library Protastantism: www.patheos.com
- Perrigo, B. (2017, October 31). Time. Retrieved January 28, 2019, from Faith: time.com
- reddit. (n.d.). Retrieved January 28, 2019, from www.reddit.com
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