How Did the Protestant Reformation Affect Colonization in the Colonies Research Paper

How Did the Protestant Reformation Affect Colonization in the Colonies - Research Paper Example These preachers mainly had their presence in the areas of northern and central Europe. Protestant Reformation and their followers questioned the position of the Pope. The way in which the Catholic Church looked into religion of Christianity was questioned by this group of Protestants. In the era prior to the Protestant Reformation, the entities that had control over the political power of the country aligned with the Church and there was a concentration of the authority. They claimed that the way in which the power remained in the Church and thereby on the Pope were not acceptable in the modern society. There should be an equitable distribution of power between the Church as well as the princes and pastors who read the Bible. They argued that this political and religious concentration of power in the hands of the Pope should be abolished (Brady 173). This protest and exhibition of the new idea would result in a number of persecutions and wars that the world would witness. History of Protestant Reformation and Colonialism In the medieval the entire Europe happened to believe in Christianity as the guiding light of the people and relied on the teachings of Jesus Christ. However, a sect of the population started questioning the authority of the Pope of Rome. The administrative set up was such that there were smaller units of state and the ruler of each state would determine what religion the people of that state would follow. A large section of the people had shifted to the newly discovered lands of America. These territories belonged to the original states of England, France, Spain, Sweden and Netherlands in Europe. The incident of the discovery of America and the outbreak of the Protestant movement happened almost at the same time. It had a far-reaching effect on the way the new lands were set up and the way people got settled there. The concepts of territorialism came into the scene when the various communities lived in the same land with religious diversity. T hroughout Europe there was a mix in the culture and the religious beliefs. Hence there was not a single religion or faith that governed the people of Europe through many wars were fought to make one central religion by the different groups. The religious rulers of the different states of Europe tried to extend their authority to the America as well. This history has lets its evidence in some of the places of Canada, Mexico and the USA. Another idea that was central to the theme of Protestant Reformation was the freedom of conscience for the people. The people of America were liberated and they had the autonomy to pursue any religious belief that they wished to follow. The idea that was newly formed in the minds of the people was that there was one God and he was the supreme power. The Pope of Rome was not the only mediator. The common people could reach to God through other ways as well. They were free to advocate the religious faith that they believed in and worship God in the form they wanted to. Ideas of Martin Luther King Martin Luther was originally a Catholic himself who had challenged the supremacy of the papal rule. The ideas that he gave was extremely revolutionary in nature and it created turmoil in entire Germany at first and then in Europe.