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How Did Catholicism Play A Significant Role Of Religion In Early Modern Europe?

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Religion played a significant role and provided a source of stability in early modern Europe, which was ravaged with disease, war, and other struggles. Catholicism, the dominant religion at the time, gave people not only hope, but also a way of life, determining many aspects of life including morals and social hierarchies. However, the influence of Catholicism was threatened when a religious movement known as the Reformation brought about a deep divide in religion in the sixteenth century, thus upsetting the delicate balance of life and stability for many people. The reason the Reformation started is that some people, who became disillusioned with some of the corrupt practices of the Catholic church, decided to voice their concerns. As a result, a new form of Christianity, …show more content…

However, as Protestantism spread rapidly and gained the support of "both nobles and commoners", tensions inevitably rose between the Catholics and Protestants (50). It soon became evident that it would be nearly impossible for Protestants and Catholics to coexist peacefully because Protestants were fundamentally opposed to some key Catholic practices, Protestants threatened the power of the clergy and the crown, and because Catholics and Protestants would oftentimes spread untrue rumors about each other, generating unnecessary prejudice and hate.
One of the reasons why Catholics and Protestants had difficulty tolerating each other was that the fundamental beliefs of the two religions conflicted with each other. In fact, the original reason that Protestantism emerged was that people were unsatisfied with some of the practices and rituals of the Catholic church. Protestantism emphasized the importance of scripture and faith,

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