Definition of Protestant Reformation

The one of Protestant Reformation is a concept that is of special importance within the history of the religion.

Religious movement, born in Germany in the 16th century, in clear opposition to the customs and prevailing corruption in the Catholic Church

The Protestant Reformation consisted of a movement religious that started in the 16th century Germany and that caused a schism inside of Catholic Church which would have as its main corollary the emergence of new Churches and new religious movements who would enlist behind the Protestantism.

Basically, and if we had to indicate an issue that triggered this mobilization, it was undoubtedly the discontent and opposition that religious, politicians and intellectuals of that time presented regarding the traditions of the Church and especially of the claims of the Supreme Pontiffs of domination total about the Christian religion.

And it will precisely be called Reform because the main idea was that of propose reformist alternatives

to those questions criticized in order to revive the Catholicism of the beginnings that had been, according to his visions, blurred.

Of course, for its realization and expansion, Protestantism had the approval of some European politicians and kings.

It should be noted that Protestantism, or likewise the word Protestant, are used precisely to refer to those religious groups that at the time of the Protestant Reformation distanced themselves from the Catholic Church and developed their own doctrines of faith.

Luther and Calvin, main referents of Protestantism

Protestants highlight the authority of the Bible What book sacred and believe that it will be God's grace and faith in him, in the Gospel and in Christ that will save men.

It also highlights the absolute need for God, the mediation of his son Christ and accept the sacrament of Baptism.

However, it opposes issues that the Catholic Church does raise, such as: the maximum authority of the Pope, pardons, existence of a purgatory, the mass, the devotion of the saints and their intercession, among the most salient issues that reject.

Martin Luther and John Calvin, were some of the most recognized initiatory Protestants.

Calvin's influence gave way to the creation of Calvinism, as the reformist doctrine that it led and spread throughout the world was called.

Calvinism stands on the power of God over all existing things.

An outstanding action has been to promote the creation of churches that were in charge of spreading the Calvin's doctrine, they are still very much in force today and summoning millions of followers in the world.

Meanwhile, Calvinism has proposed a series of principles that has distinguished it in the Protestant universe and they are: belief that only God will save those people who behave in the right way; God will not save all men; proposes limited atonement or cleansing of sins; grace and perseverance attributed to the saints.

On his part, Luther and his proposals gave way to the creation of Lutheranism, a traditional religious movement and initiation of Protestantism that aimed to eradicate the papal authority and the corruption that reigned in the Vatican.

Among its foundations postulates are: the promotion of the sacraments of the Eucharist and baptism; they did not believe in the transformation of bread and wine into the flesh and body of Christ; the saints and the Virgin Mary are examples; it does not recognize and reject the authority of the Pope, since they denounce the sale of indulgences; evangelizers can marry, contrary to a Christian maxim such as celibacy; the New and Old Testaments are taken as norms to govern the life of the believer; Jesus is the foundation of faith and souls are saved by faith and not by behavior.

The Church's response: the Counter-Reformation

But the Catholic Church would not sit idly by and promoted the Counter-Reformation between 1560 and 1648.

The action of the Catholic Church was forceful and took care to reunite divided Catholics and Protestants; confirmed its dogmas at the Council of Trent; the reorganization of the religious orders was promoted and more rigid norms were imposed; formation centers for religious were created; and the court of the Inquisition was established and of course they dealt with refuting each of the precepts of Lutheranism and Calvinism.

Today, Protestantism stands as the third branch of Christianity with approximately five hundred million faithful throughout the world.

Themes in Protestant Reformation