Changes In Religions (1450-1750) Flashcards
What was Europe like religiously prior to 1570?
- Christians in Europe were virtually all Catholic
- Church & state remained separate ( sometimes the Church supported monarchs, sometimes they opposed them)
- The Catholic Church and the Pope were very wealthy
Who and what did a German monk do in 1517 that altered religion forever?
Martin Luther began a protest against the abuses by the Catholic Church by writing the “95 Theses”
What are examples of an abuse by the Catholic Church?
-The selling of indulgences
- Corrupt Priests
What were indulgences?
Certificates which would buy forgiveness of sins
What were factors that led to the spread of the Protestant Reformation?
- European monarchs used his ideas as justification to break away from the Church’s political power
- Some were attracted to Luther’s idea of reading the Bible for oneself
- Some women were attracted to it because it seemed to challenge male dominance in the Catholic Church
What was the Catholic response to the Protestant Reformation?
The Catholic Church reexamined their own beliefs in the Council of Trent (1545 - 1563)
What happened at the Council of Trent (1545-1563)?
-Most major Catholic practices and teachings were reaffirmed
-Instituted the Inquisition to crack down on dissent & non-believers
What were the effects of the Protestant Reformation?
- Multiple Protestant Churches broke away from the Catholic Church
- Protestant Churches closed convents & forbade praying to various saints
- Increase in literacy
- 30 Years War ( Catholics vs Protestants)
- Skepticism towards authority in encouraged
What are some examples of different branches of Protestantism?
- Lutherans
- Anglicians
- Anabaptists
- Methodists
- Quakers
Which states remained Catholic and which ones converted to Protestantism after the Protestant Reformation?
Catholic: Spain, Portugal, France
Protestant: England and Netherlands
What change in Christianity occurs when it spreads to the Americas?
It sometimes syncretizes with traditional Native beliefs and/or with Bantu beliefs brought by West African slaves
What are 4 examples of syncretic blends of Christianity in the Americas?
Mexico: Aztec Gods & goddesses associated with Catholic saints
Peru: Worship of Inca sacred monuments continue, tied to places of Catholic pilgrimage
Haiti: Vodou
Cuba: Santeriá
What is vodou?
A syncretic blend incorporating West Africa spirits, Catholic saints, animal sacrifices, & traditional Bantu drumming & dance
What was Santariá?
A mix of West African spirits, indigenous herbal & medicinal practices, and Catholicism
How did Islam continue to spread from 1450-1750?
Through trade & missionary activity
