The Influence Of Religion In The 16th And 17th Century

Religion is, for many people, a source of inspiration, fulfillment, and divine righteousness that plays an integral role in their lives; in the 16th and 17th centuries maybe more so than any other period, especially when it comes to Christianity. Unfortunately, religion is a two-edged sword: it can be both beneficial and terrible. While a majority of the people in the early modern European era genuinely believed what their religion told them was true, many still used religion as a tool to reach their goals and achieve their desires. During this era and many others, an alarming number of atrocities were committed or at least justified under the banner of Christianity and “God’s Will.” While most of the people were generally “good Christians” who lived their day-to-day lives in relative peace, for many of the powerful and influential of the era, religion was a tool that could be twisted to suit their needs rather than a scripturally inspired, divine way of life. In the late 15th Century, the Spanish monarchs Ferdinand …show more content…
Simply put, religion was to many like Columbus a façade behind which they could enact and seek out their true goals and desires – little more than a tool to get what they want. To others, like Bartolomé de las Casas, religion is what it was meant to be, a belief central to their identity that could do amazingly good and beneficial work in the world. For many people like Martin Luther, however, religion is both a way of life and, if need be, a tool to gain power, influence, and wealth. The role of religion in early modern Europe is one that changes from individual to individual. To a majority of Europeans at the time, it was the central identifier of their culture and beliefs. To others, it was little more than a tool for political, economic, and social