The beginning of the 16th century brought along the Protestant Reformation. After many centuries, people finally began challenging the Roman Catholic Church, such as Martin Luther and John Calvin. By mid-16th century, the western church had divided into Catholic and Protestant groups. The reformation may be known as a success in many aspects such as Luther able to rid the selling of indulgences after realizing it was not as easy as paying your way to heaven, and the true, holy bible was able to be provided to other Protestants as the chief guide to religious truth.
However, when it came to a change in status of women, it did not aid in transforming women’s role in society. To commence, the event which was most significant to the success of the Protestant Reformation was Tetzel’s sale of indulgences, Luther’s 95 theses to display the wrongs of the indulgences, and the support of the Reformation by townspeople, peasants, and some nobles. It was not the fact that Tetzel was selling indulgences that was significant, but the fact that it led Martin Luther to post the 95 theses.Since this became widely-known very fast, many people found out about Luther and his idea that the selling of indulgences were morally unethical.
They became interested and agreed with his teachings so much that some, such as the peasants, fought and put their lives on the line to stand up for them. He and his teachings are responsible for the Reformation taking place when it did. If he had not posted the 95 theses, the reformation could have been years before something came along that was enough to set off the success of the Protestant Reformation.Every Protestant Church known would be different if Martin Luther hadn’t posted the 95 theses.
Subsequently, before the Protestant Reformation, the Bible had been guarded in monasteries and churches, and it was not available for the people as only catholic priests read it and knew about it. It was considered that the true teaching was in their mouth. When Luther, who has himself a catholic priest, realized that what was in the Bible, he saw that what was taught did not agree with what was written in the Bible.Therefore, he wrote several works in which he explains the base for his 95 theses and the reasons for which he believed that the Bible should be made available for everyone and hence he was to have it printed at a printing press for the first time and be translated into the language they spoke.
The Reformation was successful because it was the first time people could access by themselves the treasures of the Bible. They were in need of God's truth and now there were no limits to confine them; that's why some of them were even willing to die, defending their right to read and have a Bible with them.However, some may say the reformation was not successful. Although it eliminated celibacy the traditional roles of husband as a leader and the wife as a dutiful servant did not really change.
The reformation did not essentially alter women’s secondary place in society. A woman's role was still to bear children, alongside being obedient toward her husband. Many protestant women believed that family life was their only destiny. Even Calvin and Luther believed this was part of a great plan; hence they may not have urged them to take action towards the status of women. All in all, the Protestant Reformation was majority of a success.
Martin Luther was successful in voicing his ideas on the wrongdoing of the selling of indulgences. Moreover, the bible was able to be printed at a printing press and be provided to countless Protestants as a way to see and understand the religious truth for themselves as the priests were previously giving out wrong information. Last but not least, although the Protestants as a whole were successful in the religious aspect, women in the social aspect were not necessarily able to transform their duties. Basically, the reformation was intentionally successful with providing the right religious views and the community became educated.
