The Age of Reason
Starting and during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, some people began to question the principles of their classical and medieval teachings. They were introduced and started to prefer a new scientific way of drawing conclusions by simply observing themselves and the world around them. Moreover, during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, this scientific attitude progressed to dominate the thinking of the economically stable, well-educated upper, and comfortable classes of Europe. These people later came to be responsible for the foundation of modern science. In addition, the new scientific approach led to new and revolutionary philosophies of government, which insisted that people are able to rule themselves in a just way. The ending conflicts, such as the Thirty Years War and Puritan's loss of control of the British government, caused a majority of Europeans to be sick and tired of religious controversies. Many of them saw that the only solution to prevent further quarrel was by modernizing their faiths or turning to a secular life-style. Some individuals took a more radical action and abandoned religious affairs altogether. Some of the new ways that branched out of the religious affairs were Pietism, Romanticism, and various ranges of Deism. As result, the role of the Church was being substantially declined.
One of the first ways in which Christians modernized their faiths was by a new philosophy of religion called pietism. These Christians who became "pietistic," believed that it was more important to lead a simple Christ-like life, than to insist on any specific dogma. These Christians demanded that rational thought be subordinate to faith and that inner devotion was more i...
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...orld saw an evolution of the common faith as a result of new scientific thinking and the seeking of new ideas or alternatives to the present ones. Some of these new ideas became known as pietism, romanticism, deism, atheism, and a beginning to liberal theology.
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The reformations of the sixteenth century challenged the ideals of many religious institutions, but they also contested political institutions as well. This could be due to the fact that most politics were tied in some way to religion, but it could also be the way in which the reformations challenged the unquestionable authority of the Catholic Church, that led to questioning the system of governance as well. The reformation opposed traditional views of politics in Europe by challenging the ideas of body politics and the natural law that governed the land.
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The Scientific revolution in the 16th and 17th centuries changed the way that people views the world. Scientific philosophers such as Galileo and Descartes threw out the old teachings of the church and challenged them with new ways of thinking. These men sought to prove that rational thought could prove the existence of God. They also challenged that it was an understanding of a series of rational thoughts, not faith, would bring understanding of how the world worked. Traditional ways of thinking were ultimately challenged by logical and sensible rationale.
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There has been a clash between secular thought and religion since its formation of societies in the classical age. Both have made an equal effect on the culture of each empire by influencing people to change their belief on the world. Major religions have made interactions, which affected some of their ideas for what they have become now. The major religions during the classical age are Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism, Jainism, Daoism, and Zoroastrianism. These religions also have similarities and differences between each other in which it has involved them to what they've become. The major empires that have affected are Persia, India, China, Greece, and Rome. These empires' culture has influenced by religion to the extent where it has changed their lifestyle. Although secular thought has made a huge impact on the world, world religion has affected history since its reemergence of empires by exchanging culture of their ideas during the classical age.
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The age of Enlightenment was a progression of the cultural and intellectual changes in Europe that had resulted from the scientific revolution during the sixteenth and seventeenth century. The scientific revolution and the discoveries made about the natural world would ultimately challenge the way people perceived the world around them. Scientist found real answers, by questioning flawed ancient beliefs that were widely held and maintained by the church. Ultimately, these discoveries and scientific advancements would evolve and effect social, cultural, and political developments in Europe over the course of time. The scientific revolution had provided certainty about the natural world that had long been questioned. With these new developments came the progression and influence of thought, rationality, and individualism. These new ideas would be the hallmark for the Enlightenment movement that would shape most of Europe in the eighteenth century.
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