Week Four- Chapter 15 (Cultural Transformations)

The Protestant Reformation began in 1517 when priest Martin Luther publicly invited debate about various abuses within the Roman Catholic church selling indulgences, corruption to some clergy people. Martin Luther also talked about the new understanding to salvation, only through faith alone, faith as a free gift. To Luther, religious authority in general, was not the teaching of the church, but the Bible alone which was interpreted differently to each person. Luther provoked massive schism, and social tensions as well as religious differences.

The importance of Protestants gave to reading the Bible for oneself simulated education and literacy for women. Reformation thinking spread quickly beyond German country as well as a variety of Protestant churches. The French society was torn by violence between Catholics and Protestants known as Huhuenots which allowed religious tolerance. In the Thirty Years War which was a Catholic - Protestant struggle where 15-30% of the German population died. 

Religion drove justified European ventures abroad and brought faith to many conquered homelands. In New England the Protestant version of Christianity in North America had an emphasis on education, moral actions and civic responsibility. Christianity represented major cultural tradition in Latin America. Europeans saw their political and military success as a demonstration of power of the Christian God. By 1700 millions accepted baptism, specially for women by conversion was because of the prominence of virgin Mary.

Peoples of Spanish America had been defeated, their societies largely disrupted and cultural confidence had been shaken. China encountered Christianity between 16th century and 18th century during the Ming Dynasty. There was no cultural integrity threatened. China was strong and independent so Europeans needed permission of Chinese authority to operate. Jesuists were respectful of Chinese culture, pointing out the parallels between Confucianism and Christianity. Christian monogamy required Chinese men to put away their concubines.

The expansion of the Islamic frontier, a process of 1,000 years. Conversion to Islam meant assimilating Islamic rituals, cosmologies and literatures. Islamization was not a product of conquering armies and expanding empires. Some Islamic slaves practiced their faith in North America and Brazil. Well known Islamic renewal movement happened from 1703-1792, Al Wahhab was upset about common religious practices in central Arabia.

The scientific revolution was revolutionary because it fundamentally challenged this understanding of the universe. This happened in Europe first because they had an evolved legal system that guaranteed a measure of independence like universities. People started to believe in the term Enlightenment, if human reason could discover how to govern effectively. Enlightenment thinking was directed against superstition, ignorance and corruption of established religion.