As the Church was the highest level of the estates and its members supposed to be models of behaviour for those of lower status, it is highly ironic that the examples of clergy shown in The Canterbury Tales are some of the most corrupt characters. To become a member of the ecclesiast group like a Priest or a Nun, the candidate must take vows of obedience, chastity and poverty – vows which many of the characters break continually. Firstly, it was believed that to truly demonstrate devotion to God, a Christian must surrender their worldly goods and become poor in reality. Of course, humans are fallible creatures and so there were some members of the Church who chose to ignore the vow of Poverty. Clearly, the characters of the Friar, the Monk and the Prioresse are part of that faction.
Luther believed that all believers should abide by the words of ‘our Lord and Master Jesus Christ” and repent of our sins (Morris, 1998, p. 56). The problem Luther had with the Catholic Church and the priests specifically was the use of the word of God as a sacramental penance, rather than a real act of repentance from the heart intending to change the behavior of the man (Lohse, 1998, p. 4). Luther demands that the inward changes be reflected by the outward actions that the world can see (Lohse, 1998, p. 4). If one is harsh to others outwardly, their inward harshness is just as readily seen. Man must see their repulsion to sin must continue or
Peasants were captive to their lords, essentially forced into servitude without wages. Through the worst conditions, a constant source of comfort was the Church and it's promise of a better life in Heaven. As it grew in power and riches, the Catholic Church became a political power, and peasants began to fear the church instead of worshiping the God, through the life of Jesus Christ, that it represented. In the political climate, protest was difficult. Anyone that was considered a threat to the power of the Church were often executed or exiled.
Another thing that the Church was often criticized for was the lack of separation between Church and State. In all matters, whether they be religious or political, the Church, mainly the Pope, was the ultimate authority. The Protestants also had a problem with the idea of transubstantiation, or the belief that the bread and wine served at mass are literally the flesh and blood of Christ. The use of Latin in mass was also frowned upon, because no one could understand what the priest was saying. Clerical celibacy yet another thing that the Protestants didn’t like, and because of this, both Luther and Calvin were wedded.
Many factors led to the rise of Protestantism, for example, events like the Black Death and the Western Schism. The most crucial factors were the reformers themselves. Two of the most famous reformers were Martin Luther and Desiderius Erasmus. Luther was a German priest who found the ways of the Roman Catholic Church to be corrupt, he fought the church until he was named an outlaw by the emperor, and shunned by the pope. Erasmus was a Dutch Renaissance humanist, and Catholic priest.
How far do sources 1, 2 and 3 suggest that the early 16th century church exploited the faith of its followers to increase its own wealth? We know that in the early 16th century, around the time of the reformation of the church in England, much had been said about the state in which the church was in. Many opponents, such as Simon Fish, the writer of source 1, would state that the church was riddled with corruption and in a state of collapse. However, the Catholic Church still played a vital role in the life of most everyday people. Source 1, would strongly support the statement, as it aggressively attacks the church and its actions.
The common masses were also unhappy with the Pope and church. They were not only unhappy with the prevailing corrupt practices in church and the flimsy grounds on which the church collected funds from innocent people but also disliked its interference in the secular affairs. Even the rulers were quite unhappy with the Pope and strongly protested against Papal interference in the affairs of their states. Perhaps the greatest religious leader the world has ever seen, Martin Luther is seen as the spark to the Protestant Reformation. Some viewed him as a heretic while others saw him as an advocate for religious freedom and truth.
Because of this there were people living in the most poverty, begging starving and helpless, this had an extremely negative impact on England because there were many people who relied on monastic charity for their survival. Although
During the 1500’s, the Catholic Church was in a state of nepotistic and was shrouded in corruption and wrongdoing. During this time, to attain ones salvation, one could simply buy their salvation. Luther apposed this with his belief and understanding of salvation; the only way to attain salvation according to the scriptures was by the individual, based on ones faith. Luther saw what the Catholic Church was doing as mealy a way to make profit. Not only that, Luther also saw this as a way for people who could afford the price sin without any implications as they still held the Church’s highest regard.
Overcoming Racism: The Church Has A Role To Play Morenike Oye Liberty University Abstract “At the heart of racism is the religious assertion that God made a creative mistake when He brought some people into being” Friedrich Otto Hertz. The thought that many Christians today believe that or choose to live in denial that we have gone passed racism or that it is a problem that has been solved a long time ago, hence the need to shift focus and concentrate on more important things is an indication that racism is more of a spiritual warfare than we want to admit. This paper in its three fold objective is aimed at exposing racism as a sin, a spiritual attack on mankind, and a warfare between the devil and the seed of the woman (Genesis 3:13-15). Secondly, to analyze the understanding and role of the early churches and Christians, what was done or should have been done, how they were done and those things that were not done. Thirdly, to make a wake-up call to the new generations churches and strategize on how we can triumph in this battle.