The Reformation

Wow, where to start. As I've written here before, I love to read Will Durant's work. And once again, the sixth installment if his Story of Civilization series was thoroughly impressive, both didactic and thoroughly enjoyable to read.

The book covers European history from 1300 - 1564, a much broader time period than just the Reformation. It retraces much of the Renaissance in Italy, and follows the Renaissance north of the Alps and continuing throughout all of Europe.

It's hard to believe that the Bible, prior to Martin Luther, was completely inaccessible to the people of Europe. Not only had the Bible yet to be translated into the vernaculars, but the Catholic Church claimed the role, its primary reason for existence, as intermediary between God and the people. It seems incredible to think of this, but people were not supposed to have a direct relationship with God; they could only reach God, through the Church. Christendom, for centuries, only knew one Church, with no deviation from its views allowed.

And because the Bible had yet to be translated, no one knew any better. The Church interpreted the scriptures as it saw fit, and over the centuries it claimed a total monopoly on communication with God.

As with all monopolies, this turned the Church into a haven for gluttony, immorality and avarice that bordered, at times, on evil.

Things came to a head when the Church began selling indulgences to fund the construction of the new St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. Enter Martin Luther, a scholar who knew the truth of the Bible. He instigated a revolution, with his writings eventually calling for a break from the Church.

What followed was decades of chaos and slaughter while the people revolted, forming countless new Protestant sects, most of which hated each other as much as the Catholic Church. The pressure had been building for centuries, and the outflow of murders, mass killings, burnings and wars was almost unprecedented.

The European nobility believed at the time that tolerance for multiple religions was completely unthinkable. Each ruler insisted on religious conformity for their entire realm. Those who didn't believe in the official religion of the territory was termed a heretic, typically punishable by death. This combination of the mass splintering of sects and forced compliance of official religious views created an impossible situation. The 16th century was not a fun time for most in Europe.

Eventually things sorted themselves out. The Bible was translated into the vernaculars, and Gutenberg's presses churned them out in record numbers. Now the Bible could be read (or heard) by virtually everyone. No longer was the Church needed to interpret the scriptures and play intermediary with God.

Key political figures of the era included Henry VIII of England and the Emperor Charles. I need to read more about both before moving on to the Enlightenment. In fact, I've got a book on the Holy Roman Empire sitting on my desk right now, waiting to be read...