Reformation on the modern world Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Reformation on the modern world - Research Paper Example The Reformation age can be also considered as fruition into the age of reason cutting down the legacy of unnecessary theological illusion (Kobe). The paper will be discussing about the impact of the reformation into the modern with the recognition that it was a revolution along with special reference to science, field of art and music and religion. 2. An abridgment of the impacts on the modern world Before moving in to in depth discussion, a brief insight of the impact on the modern world can be elucidated. Firstly, the reformation era splits Christendom into Catholic and Protestant with the destruction of the religious unity of Europe and weakening the authority of church (Holt, 133). The concept of modern secular and centralized state is an attribute of reformation, boosting power to the monarchs at the expense of the church bodies. In this respect it can be stated that the immediate aftermath was the establishment of absolute monarchy and the Protestantism through religious justif ications indirectly contributed to the development of the political liberty which is a predominant feature of the modern west. The notion of equality can be also seen as an evolution of the reformation era the fruits of which are enjoyed in the modern world. ... onscience in the reformation era may be regarded as a precursor of the development of the capitalist spirit and that of the underlying mechanism of the modern economic life (Weber, 42-45). 3. Science and Reformation period The modern science can be regarded as the germinating seed of the reformation period. The doctrine of creation and rationality can be said to be the indispensable part of the reformation period. The herald of scientific explanation in the reformation started from the study and direct observation of the nature. The names of the proponents like Martin Luther, Copernicus holds special reference as they can be regarded as the pioneers in introducing the scientific way of thinking (Kobe). 3.1 Medieval view The medieval world view believed that the nature was an everlasting process and that it kept going from moment to moment by miracle which was new and renewed forever. The presumption was that god; the Almighty was the one who ordered the universe with the help of the miracles. The process was also executed with the human being’s absolute faith in God (Kobe). 3.1 Rationalistic view- An exodus from the medieval view The above stated medieval view was protested in and around the fifteenth century by some intellectuals who wanted to explore the reasons of the miracles which demarcated the rationalistic view of science. The rationalistic view of nature implied that the mind of man is able to forecast the possibilities and impossibilities in the nature with proper justifications. Luther, Copernicus, other reformists and later on Marx also criticized the medieval and superstitious beliefs of the Church (Wuthnow, 492). 3.2 Luther and Copernicus Martin Luther was called the ‘Copernicus of theology’ and Copernicus was called the ‘Luther of astronomy’.