The Roman Catholic Church experienced a major split in the early 16th century. Humanism, which expanded the power of writing and reasoning beyond religious scholars, along with the consequences of plagues and wars, and the secular involvement and corruption of the Church led many to lose credibility in the what-was-then-current establishment of Christianity.
One of the people that were unhappy with the church was Martin Luther, who in the early 1500s posted his Ninety-Five Theses on a church doors in Wittenberg, Germany. His Thesis were a product of his distress with the selling of indulgences because by giving money in exchange for salvation, people are instead doomed to eternal damnation (Spielvogel, 272). Spielvogel also explains that as …show more content…
These reforms within the church started what is known as the Catholic Reformation or the Counter-Reformation (Spielvogel, 389). Around 30 years later from Luther’s reforms, Catholic leaders, under the rule of Pope Paul II, formed the Council of Trent to assess and resolve the issues that arose from Protestantism. The Council decided in favor of traditional Roman Catholic principles and opposed Protestant beliefs. Spielvogel says that it also “…affirmed Scripture and tradition as equal authorities in religious matters; only the church could interpret Scripture” (392). Although a reform did happen, the use of indulgences for salvation was kept as one of the decrees of the Council. While church orders were restored (ie, the Benedictines and Dominicans and Capuchins like stated by Spielvogel on page 389), other orders were also formed as part of the Catholic Reformation. One of the most inffluential of these orders were the Jesuits, started by St. Ignatius of Loyola. These educated religious men were especially important in working out the differences between Catholics and Protestants and spreading education in missions throughout the
One of the people that were unhappy with the church was Martin Luther, who in the early 1500s posted his Ninety-Five Theses on a church doors in Wittenberg, Germany. His Thesis were a product of his distress with the selling of indulgences because by giving money in exchange for salvation, people are instead doomed to eternal damnation (Spielvogel, 272). Spielvogel also explains that as …show more content…
These reforms within the church started what is known as the Catholic Reformation or the Counter-Reformation (Spielvogel, 389). Around 30 years later from Luther’s reforms, Catholic leaders, under the rule of Pope Paul II, formed the Council of Trent to assess and resolve the issues that arose from Protestantism. The Council decided in favor of traditional Roman Catholic principles and opposed Protestant beliefs. Spielvogel says that it also “…affirmed Scripture and tradition as equal authorities in religious matters; only the church could interpret Scripture” (392). Although a reform did happen, the use of indulgences for salvation was kept as one of the decrees of the Council. While church orders were restored (ie, the Benedictines and Dominicans and Capuchins like stated by Spielvogel on page 389), other orders were also formed as part of the Catholic Reformation. One of the most inffluential of these orders were the Jesuits, started by St. Ignatius of Loyola. These educated religious men were especially important in working out the differences between Catholics and Protestants and spreading education in missions throughout the