In this paper I will compare and contrast the different elements of worship in the Middle Ages with the worship in the Reformation period. To begin with I will point out the difference in languages. In the previous period we see that the Western church was more rigid in using Latin in its services, whereas the Eastern church was more adaptable to the common language. In the middle ages we start to see a similar break up in the Western churches, with the churches in the Protestant movement moving towards the common peoples vernacular. So during the Middle ages people did not participate as much because they did not understand what was going on, while in the Reformation period they did not participate as much because there was a move away from the liturgical style towards a longer homily/preaching (Shields & Butzu, 2007, p. 257).
Secondly, we find a lot of difference in the development of church architecture and design. In the Middle ages there is a great deal of opulence and great detail (including a lot of paintings), these helped to aid the laity as those mediums helped remind people of what was found in the scripture, while during the reformation those mediums were regarded as idols by much of the Protestant church. So during the former there were big and significant structures (less division in the church meant a need for larger gathering areas), to the Reformation which we see a schism of beliefs (so church structures did not need to be so big) (Shields & Butzu, 2007, p. 209).
Thirdly, we find the daily lives of Christians changing a great deal from the past. The middle ages were inherently dark and without knowledge when we look at the Reformation period. We see a greater move toward literacy in the body, which me...
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...ferent movements in terms of who lead the church. During the middle ages we find that there was a episcopal church structure, in which leaders in powerful positions chose those who served in smaller ranks. As I mentioned the people often did not understand what was taking place, and did not seem to be very well taught, so to some degree we find the different orders of monks sort of helping people to live for God. In the Reformation those with the strongest beliefs and best preaching skills were able to gather crowds, so it is almost like the times of the New Testament in which people would seem to spring up out of no where I begin to herald the Word. The population also had more influence in choosing who would lead them and what they believed, for example John Calvin's wishes to see the Lord's supper celebrated weekly was not adopted. (Shields & Butzu, 2007, p. 256).
The long-term causes of the Reformation- the corruption of the church and the hostility of the laity- appear to have been historical illusion. " I have come to the conclusion, that the Church in England in 1529 needed considerable reforms, because many abuses, undoubtedly, had occurred in various departments of religious life.
In de-emphasizing the role of the Church, it’s rituals, and offices, and supplanting them with a more direct and personal approach to God and spirituality; the Protestant Reformation, through the works of Martin...
The period of the Renaissance was an important era of development in the world religiously, artistically, and scientifically. In the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, important technologies such as the printing press contributed greatly in helping advance the intelligence of all humans. A broad humanistic sense began to expand throughout Europe, giving a new vision of the human being as the center of the universe and not as something mystical or divine. With a combination of the technological and social changes taking place at the same time, the Renaissance’s advancements placed the driving force for the protestant reformation to occur. The Protestant reformation was a new era of religious revolution that brought radical changes in the vision that society had of the Catholic Church. During this period, not only did the religion change, other areas such as the economy and the development of social interactions were reformed and
A 16th-century movement in Western Europe that aimed at reforming some doctrines and practices of the Roman Catholic Church and resulted in the establishment of the Protestant churches. The world of the late medieval Roman Catholic Church from which the 16th-century reformers emerged was a complex one. Over the centuries, the church, particularly in the office of the papacy, had become deeply involved in the political life of Western Europe. The resulting intrigues and political manipulations, combined with the church’s increasing power and wealth, contributed to the bankrupting of the church as a spiritual force.
Theological Context." Reformation & Renaissance Review: Journal of The Society For Reformation Studies 7, no. 2/3: 337-346. Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost (accessed March 24, 2014).
The Reformation occurred all over Western Europe. It was mostly set in Germany where various parts of corruption in the Church happened. Martin Luther started the process of the Reformation, he was German so he understood how the Catholic Church took advantage and didn't think this was fair. The Catholic Reformation took place between 1450-1650 which was the biggest revolution in Germany, although the understanding of Luther's actions weren't taken notice of until he put the 95 Theses on the Church's door. Luther felt that Bishops and Priests didn't understand the bible correctly. Luther wanted the Reformation to help fix this by helping the uneducated and powerless. Some of the movement of this was
Roper, H. R.. The crisis of the seventeenth century; religion, the Reformation, and social change. [1st U.S. ed. New York: Harper & Row, 19681967. Print.
The protestant reformation of 16th century had both: immediate and long term effects. Thus, we can see that it was a revolution of understanding the essence of religion, and of what God is. The protestant reformation is said to a religious movement. However, it also influenced the economical, political and social life of people. The most global, short term effect of the reformation was the reevaluation of beliefs, and, as a result, the loss of authority of the Holy Roman Empire. The long term effects were: the emergence of new heretical movements, the declining of papacy, thus the reevaluation of people’s view on the church and life values.
Throughout the time of the Middle Ages the Roman Catholic Church served as one of the most influential institutions in all of Medieval Europe, the Church served as a significant force in the arts, crafts and culture of Europe. The Church had a ranking structure (hierarchy) that was in many ways almost identical to the Feudal System, this showed that the Church had much power in those times then they do today and showed the influence that the Church had in those times. The power and the influence of the Church in those times were mainly roo...
The Protestant Reformation of the sixteenth century is one of the most complex movements in European history since the fall of the Roman Empire. The Reformation truly ends the Middle Ages and begins a new era in the history of Western Civilization. The Reformation ended the religious unity of Europe and ushered in 150 years of religious warfare. By the time the conflicts had ended, the political and social geography in the west had fundamentally changed. The Reformation would have been revolutionary enough of itself, but it coincided in time with the opening of the Western Hemisphere to the Europeans and the development of firearms as effective field weapons. It coincided, too, with the spread of Renaissance ideals from Italy and the first stirrings of the Scientific Revolution. Taken together, these developments transformed Europe.
The renaissance and the reformation were two of the most significant changes in history that has shaped our world today. Both of these great time periods are strikingly similar in some ways and totally different in others. This is because the renaissance was a change from religion to humanism whether it is in art or literature; it is where the individual began to matter. However, the reformation was,” in a nutshell,” a way to reform the church and even more so to form the way our society is today. The first half of this paper will view the drop in faith, the economic powers, and the artistic and literary changes during the renaissance, while the second half will view the progresses and changes the church makes during the reformation.
...the church. In conclusion, because of the Reformation, churches have greatly changed, and are continuing to change to this day.
Greengrass, Mark. The Longman Companion to The European Reformation, C. 1500-1618. London: Longman, 1998. Print.
The Reformation was a decisive period in the history not only for the Catholic Church, but also for the entire world. The causes of this tumultuous point in history did not burst on the scene all at once, but slowly gained momentum like a boil that slowly festers through time before it finally bursts open. The Reformation of the Church was inevitable because of the abuses which the Church was suffering during this period. At the time of the Reformation, a segment of the Church had drifted away from its mission to bring Christ and salvation to the world. Throughout the Middle Ages, the Church had gradually become weaker because of abusive leadership, philosophical heresy, and a renewal of a form of the Pelagian heresy.
I believe even though they were against religious imagery in their churches, I think that England would be better off being able to see the beautiful historical statues and images that the Catholic churches created. I agree fully that the Reformation touched all aspects of European life because before this event even occurred, religion played a major role in society, so it was bound to give a humungous impact at the time. However, I can see why people might disagree with the statement, and say that change was inevitable and the Reformation was only a contributing factor to the change and the Renaissance was the underlying factor of change at that time.