The Encyclopedia of World Religions

376 S Reformation, Protestant

The earliest Anabaptists were inspired by uto pian visions, that is, visions of how to create a perfect society on Earth. Some of them led armed uprisings. In the early 1530s they took over the town of Münster in Germany. When Catholics and other Protestants retook the town after a siege, the results were disastrous. Such events managed to give the Anabaptists a very bad name. In the early 1530s, however, a Dutch priest named Menno Simons (1496–1561) began to teach a different form of Anabaptism. Simons noted that it was impossible for Anabaptists to take control of the political structures. Therefore, they should withdraw from political life and practice nonvio lence. Simons’s spiritual descendants, the Menno nites and the Amish, still cherish these ideals. COUNTER-REFORMATION Once the Reformation began, it could not be reversed. Its momentum was too great. But the Catholic Church did respond. The most important element in the Catholic response was the Council of Trent ( see T RENT , C OUNCIL OF ), which met from 1545 to 1563. Reformers like Luther had originally called for a council to mediate the dispute between the Catho lics and the Protestants. But only firm Catholics participated in the Council of Trent. The council reaffirmed the authority of the Catholic Church and maintained Catholic teachings in the face of Protestant opposition. The Society of Jesus ( see J ESUITS ) also worked vigorously for the Counter-Reformation. Baroque art was an important tool, too. Many Protestants had rejected art as idolatry. The Catholic Church sponsored art as a way to make itself more attractive. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE REFORMATION The Reformation was much more than just a theo logical dispute. It changed the face of Europe. It produced a Europe that was much more divided politically as well as religiously. It was an important step in the development of European nations as we know them today. It also encouraged the develop ment of national literatures and styles of art.

active than Luther, he died helping to defend Zur ich against the armies of Swiss Catholics. The most influential leader of the Swiss Ref ormation was actually French: John C ALVIN . Hav ing fled from France, Calvin eventually settled in Geneva. His own religious views emphasized the overwhelming majesty of God. Calvin picked up on Luther’s teaching that human beings cannot do anything to save themselves. Calvin reasoned that since not all are saved, God must predes tine some for salvation and others for damna tion. Something like Zwingli, Calvin saw himself called to act politically as well as religiously. He reformed the laws and educational system of Geneva, attempting to make it into a Christian commonwealth. CHURCH OF ENGLAND In England the Reformation was almost entirely a political movement. When the trouble with Luther first broke out, King Henry VIII attacked Luther’s views and defended the Catholic Church. The Pope called him “defender of the faith.” Henry always preferred Catholic teachings and practices. But later he wanted a divorce that the Pope would not grant. In response, Henry declared the English church independent and got his divorce. After Henry died, the Church of England expe rienced a stronger move to Protestantism under those who ruled on behalf of Edward VI, who was still a child. Edward’s stepsister, Queen Mary, tried to reestablish the Catholic Church. Her cruel mea sures earned her the nickname “Bloody Mary.” Under Queen Elizabeth the English church reached a compromise position between Catholicism and Protestantism. ANABAPTIST CHURCHES During the 1520s some Europeans thought changes were coming too slowly. Many of these people felt that it was wrong to baptize infants ( see BAPTISM ). Only those people should be baptized who could decide for themselves that they wanted it. As a result, they rebaptized adults who had been bap tized as infants. This earned them the name Ana baptists, “rebaptizers.”