16th And 17th Century: A Religious Analysis

The 16th and 17th century was the age of discovery, the moment where science precedes to understand the divine rules of Nature and where technological advances assist in promoting life in the European states. In addition to the Scientific Revolution, migrating Europeans into the New World motivated discoveries not only through different lifestyles but through the curiosity of how Nature functions and why. The Thirty Years War was the start of challenges to the Church in subjects such as theology. Despite the Church’s responses towards the challenges, their logic is insufficient compared to the explorations and discoveries enhanced by: theologians’, philosophers’ and religious leader’s views, patronage, and the social role in which the public …show more content…
However, by justification, the discoveries were to be judged by an explanation of religious factors, or how it’ll react with the public (and Church’s control). Mainly during the sixteenth century, science was religiously influenced. Science was only taken into account if it aligned with what the public’s beliefs. John Calvin, French Protestant theologian, clearly indicates this when he explained “ordinary persons… understand… whatever the wisdom of human mind can comprehend” (Doc 2). Life was primarily based on the Scripture; therefore, science was too. This was based on a theologian’s view but from Giovanni Ciampoli’s (public’s view) letter to Galileo, he advises Galileo to “defer to the authority… who have jurisdiction over the human intellect… of [the] Scripture” (Doc 3). Giovanni’s advice wasn’t taken but indicated the confusion of the public and the mishap between the Church’s explanations to experimental results. As a result, questioning of the Church’s teachings aroused, thereby challenging the Church. Either way, the Church’s control still exceeded the public’s logic henceforth affecting the religious leader’s justification and comprehension of discoveries being