The Protestant Reformation began in Germany but quickly spread throughout Europe. The essence of the phenomenon was the church schism, the result of which was the separation of the Protestant movement from the Roman Catholic Church. Thus, the second church schism was the end of the full influence of the Catholic Church on European territory. In a short time, some countries adopted a new trend and became almost completely Protestant (Cantalamessa 428). Nevertheless, the phenomenon has not only a religious but also a socio-political meaning, as a result of which the structure of Europe was changed and Protestantism entered the top three main directions of Christianity in the world, along with Catholicism and Orthodoxy. Moreover, the Reformation movement had a revolutionary background and was accompanied by many repressions, riots, and wars.
The key figure in this historical phenomenon was the theologian Martin Luther. In 1517, the priest published his work, called “95 Theses” (Cantalamessa 430). In it, Martin Luther criticized and exposed the venality of the Catholic Church in Europe. First of all, he accused Catholicism of selling indulgences and escaping from Christ’s commandments. The priest argued that every Christian should strive for inner repentance to the Lord instead of an imaginary purchase of remission of sins.
The main difference between Protestants and the Catholic Church is the belief in the priesthood of every believer. This is explained by the fact that every person is connected with God from birth and does not need an intermediary in the form of a priest. In the Catholicism of that time, the word of the Pope and the clergy were the main dogma, while the Protestants asserted the word of Jesus as the highest authority.
Work Cited
Cantalamessa, Raniero. “The righteousness of god has been manifested: The fifth centenary of the Protestant Reformation, an occasion of grace and reconciliation for the whole church.” Journal of Ecumenical Studies vol. 53, no. 3, 2018. pp. 423-435.