What is Religious Reformation Movement? What are the reasons for Religious Reformation Movement?

 

 

Question: What is Religious Reformation Movement? What are the reasons for Religious Reformation Movement?

Ans:

Introduction: By the middle age the institution of Feudalism and superstitious spiritualism was deep rooted all over Europe. Medieval Europe was dominated by Feudalism and Roman Catholic Church. Medieval age ended when people started thinking in humanistic way. Religion was reformed by new preachers. We call this as Religious Reformation Movement.

Reasons:

Mediaeval Europe was dominated by Roman Catholic Church. Pope was head of Roman Catholic Church and he exercised his power directly. We can call it Papal Monarchy. Over a period of time, Popes indulged in worldly pleasures and mediaeval middle class people remained as sincere worshippers. During ancient period Church did not have power to punish the people who questions it, it did not have any police at it's command but Church threatened men saying that it has the power to prevent a person from getting salvation. Slowly church started giving corporal punishments also. Many social reformers were burnt alive.

 

Economic Reasons:

Annates means 1st year salary of a bishop or cleric, which he had to pay to pope.

Simony - In the name of Simony, Roman Catholic Church authorities sold important positions and ranks to the aspiring candidates. Sometimes multiple positions were sold to a single person.

Indulgence papers were sold by the Church authorities. They fixed a particular amount for each crime and any Christian can become free from sin by buying those intelligence papers and paying the fee mentioned for a particular crime.

Church authorities accumulated vast lands. Already in the society nobles were acting independently and added to that Church authorities had vast lands under their control and they did not pay any tax to the state on the other hand agricultural land was not sufficiently available to so many people for cultivation. These Church authorities kept vast lands under their control and did not do any agriculture activity in those lands.

All the money collected from different states (Kingdoms) in the name of Annates, Simony, and indulgence papers was draining from all the Christian countries to Rome.

 

Political Reasons:

Roman Catholic Church started rising on the ruins of Roman Empire. Popes, Bishops and Cardinals were very much autonomous. No secular institution was in a position to control their authority. They collected many taxes from Christians and delivered judgments. Church collected fines and imposed punishments in cases related to marriage, inheritance and moral conduct. Education was under their control. Church acted as State within State. The Kings of Nation States and aspiring heads of Nation States wanted to keep church under State’s control. Church was tainted with the Pope’s indulgence in political affairs. The enmity started between Francis I, king of France and Charles V, King of Spain was further led to their fight for authority over Milan. The wars between these nations were famous in the history of Europe as Italian Wars which took place between 1522 A.D. to 1559 A.D. and finally ended in 1559 A.D. with Katu Cambresis treaty.

In 1527 A.D. Rome was looted by soldiers. It further degenerated the Church’s prestige. According to Catholic tradition harmony was attained between Church and France and Spain kingdoms. In England, Switzerland, Poland and Germany kingdoms, rupture between Church and State could not be avoided.

Spiritual / Institutional Reasons:

Church authorities became amoral. Poverty, Penance and Prayer were neglected completely. Church authorities violated the celibacy they pledged. Church authorities started having illegal affairs with women. Church became very corrupt. Intellectual people loathed the practices of Roman Catholic Church. Roman Catholic Church became superstitious and corrupt. They maintained Christianity with business orientation.

Church authorities started acquiring money from illegal means for the sake of their illegal children. Some started looting the Church. Pope Alexander VI got performed his duties with clerks. Pope Leo X started selling indulgence papers. Pope Leo X appointed Yohan Tetgil to indulgence papers in 1517 A.D. Church became a centre for nepotism and partiality.

 

Theoretical Reasons:

Roman Catholic Church argued that following seven sacraments is a must for attaining salvation. Protestants did not accept this. “If a sinner grew repentant and writes his sins on a papers asking for forgiveness, he would be purified from sins” that is what the protestants opined. Roman Catholic Church claimed that in any theoretical issues, Pope word is above all and ultimate. Protestants opined that in theoretical matters one should refer bible for clarification.

For the construction of Saint Basilica Church, Pope Pious used all the church money, and imposed heavy taxes on the people to unbearable extent.

John Wycliffe (1330-1384 England) was the pioneer of the Reformation. He educated people against the ill practices of Roman Catholic Church; as a result he was banished.

John Huss of Bohemia was a Christian priest. He was burnt alive for questioning the amoral activities in the church.

Erasmus, in his book ‘Praise of Folly’ questioned the atrocities and illegal activities of Christian priests.

Results of Reformation Movement:

Christians were divided after reformation movement.

Martin Luther, Zwingli, and Calvin encouraged reformation in the church.

In 1517 A.D. Martin Luther nailed a notice on Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany, with 95 revolutionary points. With this reformation movement was started. Reformation movement faced tough antagonism from Roman Catholic Church. Finally in the year 1648, treaty of Westphalia convinced Roman Catholic Church to extend tolerance to minority religions.

Christians were divided into Catholics and Protestants.