The Renaissance had placed the human experience rather than God and faith at the center of human existence. Science and religion, however, are seen as mutually exclusive yet. The Florentine Renaissance benefitted from a brain drain out of the Byzantine Empire after the 1453 fall of Constantinople to the Muslim armies. Artists and intellectuals moved to the West.
In 1431, attempts were made to reform the Papacy, and edicts were passed, but they were never enforced. Royal families, through threats and bribery, killed all reform movements. The Papacy needed money because the military and the Renaissance had drained the Church’s coffers. During this period, the Popes concentrated on expanding the reach of the Papal States. Also, fronting the arts didn’t come cheap.
To raise funds, the Popes developed a new financial instrument; they started selling indulgences. They were offered to avoid Purgatory; They sold like hotcakes. Many cathedrals were built, and many artists were funded. The arts flourished. In 1516, John Tetzel expanded the operation to Germany. Martin Luther went ballistic. On October 31, 1517, Luther nailed his 95 theses to the Wittenberg church door. Luther’s message spread like wildfire throughout Europe. God, not the Pope, has the power of forgiveness. Buying your way out ain’t going to happen. Instead, Luther’s grace through faith was the answer. Luther was summoned to Rome; he refused to recant. The reformation in England took place because King Edward Vlll wanted to divorce his wife marry Queen Catherine, and marry Anne Boleyn. The Pope refused to issue an annulment, so Henry started the Anglican Church. In 1526, the 300 German states were given a choice to become either Lutheran or Catholic. Germany became divided predominantly Catholic south and a primarily Protestant north. From Germany, the Reformation moved to the Low Countries. The Dutch Reformed Church was founded. Lutheranism spread to the Scandinavian countries. John Calvin organized the Calvinist Reformation. The Anabaptist movement in Switzerland introduced the separation of church and state.
Ultimately the Protestant Reformation led to modern democracy, skepticism, capitalism, individualism, civil rights, and many current values we cherish today. The Protestant Reformation increased European literacy and ignited a renewed passion for education.
Protestant groups develop. Church leaders reformed the Catholic Church. Anti-Semitism increased, and religious conflicts spread across Europe.
The Catholic Counter-Reformation was started. If reason can’t stop the reformation, the swords must come out. But, the Catholic Church had to get its house in order.
In 1545, the Council of Trent was Throughout the middle ages, the Catholic Church sunk deeper into a pit of scandal and corruption. By the 1520s, Martin Luther’s ideas crystallized opposition to the Church, and Christian Europe was torn apart. In response, the Catholic Church set in motion the counter–reformation. Convened. It created the Catholic Church that we know today. Shortly after, a religious war broke out in France, and it soon engulfed all of Europe. It was called The Thirty Years War. Now, Britain was in the exploration game.
THE AGE OF DISCOVERY CRANKS UP:
In 1492, Columbus was looking for India when he discovered America. The spice race was on. The spice sea trade routes had been disrupted when Constantinople fell to the Ottoman Turks. Demand for Eastern spices was off the charts in Europe. The aim was to capture as many resource-rich territories as possible. In the 19th century, this would evolve into the creation of large colonial empires. Also, a gold rush was on. Spanish conquistadores hit the shores of the Americas. Portuguese navigators prowled the coasts of Africa. They said it was to spread Christianity’s reach, but it was about the gold. Slaves and spices also entered into the mix. Portugal was the leader in long-distance navigation. Get the gold and help the souls was the stated goal. Rounding the Cape of Good Hope established the new sea route to India. “Christians and spices” was the motto. Portugal went south, and Spain went west; the rest is history. Pope Alexander Vi declared that Portugal could have Africa, Asia, and the eastern part of South America. Spain received all of the land west of that line. The land with its indigenous people is yours to do what you want, convert the people to Christianity, and rule over both. The Contential takeover was on. Wealth poured into the coffers of Spain and Portugal. Life was good at the expense of others.
The history books will go on to tell you:
The Age of Exploration (also called the Age of Discovery) began in the 1400s and continued through the 1600s. It was a period when the European nations began exploring the world. They discovered new routes to India, much of the Far East, and the Americas. They made maps that helped future explorers and travelers. (The winners write history).
