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Reformation The Protestant Reformation Was Essay

However, a large portion of Luther's Ninety Five Theses focused on theological issues ranging from a critique of Marianism to a rejection of the sacraments. The critique of Catholic ritual and theology was remarkable considering the scope of the Church's power over religious doctrine. Of course, Luther was excommunicated and began his own Christian sect that later blossomed into a diverse set of Protestant denominations. The consequences of the sixteenth century Reformation include a diversification of Christianity. The religion had been relatively monolithic, even after the Great Schism. Within the Holy Roman Empire, only the Pope was vested with supreme ecclesiastic authority. Martin Luther and other reformers harshly criticized the authority of the Pope, representing a radical revolution in the European consciousness. In many ways the Reformation was an ideological precursor to political revolutions like those in France as well as the New World.

The trend in critical thinking and self-determination...

Many of the Protestant churches resulting from the Reformation were rooted in their geographic and cultural zones. The specific relationships between local landowning classes or monarchic rulers and the Catholic Church shaped regional effects of the Reformation. The Reformation undermined the authority of the church and significantly reduced its overall power and wealth throughout Europe but especially in regions affected most strongly by the movement. Arguably the Reformation laid the foundation for democratization, individualization, and secularism: setting the stage for the Enlightenment many centuries later.
Works Cited

The Protestant Reformation." Retrieved Mar 6, 2009 at http://history.hanover.edu/early/prot.html

Reformation Europe." Internet Modern History Sourcebook. Retrieved Mar 6, 2009 at http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/modsbook02.html#Protestant%20Reformation

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Works Cited

The Protestant Reformation." Retrieved Mar 6, 2009 at http://history.hanover.edu/early/prot.html

Reformation Europe." Internet Modern History Sourcebook. Retrieved Mar 6, 2009 at http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/modsbook02.html#Protestant%20Reformation
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