The Search for Eden

The Search for Eden

Abstract

The 16th century remains an important aspect of the history of Europe. This era is popularly known as the Renaissance period where the people of Europe started the strife for better lives or the search of Eden. The strife wanted to ensure that they reform the political, religious, social and cultural settings.  Most political and religious ideas were intertwined thus making it difficult drawing a line between the two aspects.  The reformation process started by questioning the previously unchallenged Catholic Church’s authority. Additionally, the reform process was also concerned with the governance system as well[1]. The Renaissance era was opposed to the traditional views of politics of the European politics and the natural rule of law that governed the whole of Europe[2]. This marks a period where people were tired of the traditional religious and political set ups and were eager to start the journey to the Promised Land or the Garden of Eden. The whole process intended to bring what would later be known as the western culture and emergence of American colonies.

Introduction

The search for Eden is long journey that started in early 1500s in most European countries. Most European people wanted change in the social and religious set ups that previously existed in these countries. Much of the controversy was based on discontent that most people felt were brought by the dominant Catholic Church[3]. With increased bible translations and enlightenment of the population, most European countries engaged in a transformation process with an objective of bringing a new world order.  The discontent with the authority paused by the roman catholic church was to many a threat both to secular and the religion set up in the society. Protestant reformation, emerging of the Puritans and the Anabaptists among others that represent the transformation process experienced in Europe and other parts of the world.

Protestant Reformation

A protestant reformation is a historical event of the 16th century that brought about the separation of the Catholic Church and the Protestants. Before the Reformation, the Catholic Church had the unquestionable authority in the whole of Europe. However, the Renaissance era brought about different issues regarding individualism, humanism, and secularism that stimulated strong criticism of the Roman Catholic Church’s policy and questioned the behavior of the clergy. The sale of indulgences by the Catholic Church was regarded as a scandal, and this did not augur well with the community. The Catholic Church would stamp and sell documents, indulgences, and claim that this would reduce sins.  Believers who bought this document believed that this would guarantee them a place in heaven[4]. In some places, indulgences were sold that would even reduce sins committed in future. Catholic Church in the northern Germany sold indulgences for the salvation of somebody’s dead relatives.

Several people with the leadership of Martin Luther and Calvin were the greatest critics of the catholic authority. They were convinced that the undisputed Catholic authority did not match the teachings of the Bible. As a result, Martin Luther had a different form of Christianity that he believed represented the true teachings of the Bible[5]. Martin Luther was of the opinion that the pope teachings were contrary to the provision of the bible. Most people across Europe were devastated with how humanists like More and Erasmus lived on church’s wealth as they ridiculed old superstitions[6]. The Renaissance era brought together people of intelligence and strong mind. This group was determined to stand up with knowledge and facts and to go against the old order that promoted status quo. It was a period of great innovation, exploration, and creativity that brought about different new and beautiful things[7]. Protestant Reformation brought about the demise of the once powerful Catholic authority. It allowed people to worship God as per their will without relying on guidance from the Catholic Church. There was great diversity in the religious sector as people would even travel far and wide to worship God as they pleased.

Martin Luther and the 95 Thesis

Martin Luther was born in 1483 in Eisleben, Germany by his parents Hans and Margaretta, who were part of the Holy Roman Empire.  He went through the normal school program and eventually became a professor of biblical studies. Little did he know that his theological knowledge would bring about one of the historic moments in European history.  Martin Luther is believed to be the mind behind the great Protestants reformation that was widespread in most parts of Europe. By the beginning of the 16th century, Martin Luther among other scholars started questioning the provisions of the Roman Catholic as Bible knowledge expanded as translations were increased.

All through his life, Martin Luther was taught by the Catholic Church that people would only receive salvation through their faith in God and their good deeds they fulfill during their lives on earth.  Luther however, felt that he among other ordinary people would not get a chance to get to heaven since their lives did not merit salvation. As a result, Martin decides to search the way to heaven by reading the Bible and realized that God did not require men and women to earn salvation, but instead salvation was just a product of faith[8]. In essence, according to Luther’s understanding of the Bible, once a person believed that they had insurmountable faith then moral behavior and salvation will also be inevitable.

After this revelation, Martin Luther became more aggrieved by the Catholic Church as days passed by.  He was more specifically aggrieved by the selling of indulgences by the Catholic Church to the believers after confessing their sins to the priests[9]. According to the Catholic teachings, once you buy the indulgence, then one automatically qualifies to go to heaven. The payment was paid in exchange for forgiveness rather than being punished for the sins committed and one would get entry to heaven after death. This vice went a notch higher where an individual would buy indulgences for their dead relatives to secure them an entry to heaven.  These practices angered Martin Luther and other likeminded people and decided to take it upon themselves to act against this ridicule to Christianity.

On October 31st, 1517, Martin Luther introduced the famous 95 Theses.  These were his writings that greatly condemned the selling of the indulgence to believers and were referred to as “Disputation on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences[10].” The 95 Theses was a list of questions and propositions for debate and were nailed on the entrance of the Wittenberg Castle church. Though it was not mutually agreed between the interested parties, Martin was determined to make his ideas clear and defiantly nailed a copy of the theses on the gate of the Wittenberg Castle church[11]. The document was written in a precise and academic tone that just questioned rather than accusing the papal teachings of the Catholic Church. It is, however, prudent noting that the overall thrust of the document was nonetheless quite provocative.

Two of the 95 Theses were based on Martin Luther’s idea that god’s intention is for believers to seek repentance rather and have faith. It was also his conviction that earthly deeds would not lead to salvation. The other 93 theses criticize the buying and selling of indulgences which supported the earlier sentiments that God was the only source of repentance and through faith one would get to heaven. Also, the 95 theses also highlighted the St. Peter’s scandal to bring out the idea of the corrupt nature of the Catholic Church. In his argument, Martin Luther questions the logic of the Pope building a basilica of St. Peter using the money of poor believers rather than using his massive wealth.

The 95 Theses spread like bush fire throughout Germany before going to other parts of Europe including Rome. As a result, Martin was required to defend his Theses and was summoned to Augsburg city just a year after the introduction of the theses. Martin Luther together with Cardinal Thomas Cajetan was engaged in a three-day debate that unfortunately failed to bring about any conclusion[12]. During the debate, the cardinal defended the sale of indulgences in Catholic Church but Martin was adamant and returned to his city with the conviction that sale of indulgences was just mere corruption.

The 95 Theses by Martin Luther also questioned the limits of the powers that Catholic Church bestowed on the pope. Of particular interest, Luther questioned whether the Pope had the authority to grant anyone the remission of all penalties. According to Luther, the only way through which people would be freed from earthly penalties was through death[13].  He argued that the pope’s role was only intercession and God as the supernatural being is responsible for our salvation. Salvation was an act of God’s mercy and not the remission from the pope[14].  Additionally, Luther questioned the logic of spending heavily to buy pardons rather than spend on families and giving the poor.  Luther believed that the Catholic assertion of good works was hypocrisy that only intended to siphon the poor for personal enrichment.

The campaign by Martin Luther was based on three main premises that he together with other Protestants unanimously agree upon;

  • That the only way to get entry to heaven is through faith and not by good deed as the Catholic Church claimed.
  • That the Bible should be the undisputed authority through which Christians should seek legal guidance and not from the pope and the priests as the Catholic Church claimed.
  • That priest, pastors, and other religious leaders should not be considered as the true spiritual estate and the only source of leadership.

After the successful spread of the 95 Theses by Martin Luther, many people in most parts of Germany and other European countries started reacting to these convictions. This is the reason Martin Luther is believed to be the father of Protestants reformation. It is prudent noting that the ideologies presented by Luther were to a great extent revolutionary and threatened the pope’s power and authority as outlined by the Holy Roman Empire. Additionally, the ideas were also a threat to different ruling monarchs that heavily relied on the Catholic Church to maintain their power. The ideas exposed the corrupt nature of the Catholic Church through the dubious sale of indulgences in exchange for forgiveness.  The sale of indulgences has made many priests and other Catholic rulers very rich and was not comfortable with the spirited campaign against this business by Luther[15]. To a great extent, the 95 Theses was a threat to the livelihood of these leaders whose source of finance mainly lied on the purchases made of indulgences. The document was effective as it made people disregard the Catholic Church and decided to worship as they pleased causing discontent among many Catholic leaders and rulers.

Despite the tremendous achievements brought about by the Protestant Reformation, it is also imperative understanding that it was not short of challenges. Free worshipping came along with several challenges that undermined the achievements of the 95 theses. The Catholic community was not ready to let its powers and thus opted to fight relentlessly to maintain their dominance[16].  Additionally, the Protestants also failed to agree and, as a result, there were differently denominations. These denominations had different opinions on the different ways to worship God. Continued religious conflicts in Europe were evident as bloody conflicts were witnessed in major parts of Europe. Catholics fought against the Protestants, and also rulers fought against various sects that did not affiliate with their particular beliefs.

Additionally, Counter-Reformation was also evident during this period. As aforementioned, Catholics and rulers who were dependent on the Catholics settings were not ready to just let their authority slip out of their hands. This was an art used by Catholic faithful and their followers to stop the reformation process that was spreading at an alarming rate especially in the northern Europe. The proponents of this art targeted the existing Catholics and people wavering between the Protestantism and Catholicism. It is worth understanding that the art used by the counter-reformist was quite dramatic and at times very extravagant. One of the most notable examples of drama is the painting by the Caravaggio[17]. He is known for the drawing of the martyrdom of St. Matthew, which was very colorful and eye catching. It was a sarcastic painting that wanted to ridicule the Protestants and show them what they were missing by not following the Catholic faith. Also, the art involved the use of sculptures to ensure that their message is delivered[18]. An example of the sculpture is the one by Gianlorenzo Bernin that was at The Ecstasy of St. Teresa. Through such arts, the Catholics were very happy and felt that they were in the right religion.

It is also imperative noting that the work of Martin Luther brought about revolt and disorder within his city and other parts of Europe. There was increased unrest in many parts of Germany as some people supported the ideas of Martin Luther while others disputed his approach. As the tension increased, Martin Luther decided to come out of exile to try and reclaim the peace that had deserted the people of his city[19].  He conducted several sermons on peace, patience and freedom as well as condemning the acts of violence that had been experienced in the city. Luther preached to people on the importance of putting faith in God who was the only source of salvation[20]. Through his sermons, people of Augsburg enjoyed again the peace they had enjoyed in previous years.

Besides the religious strives, the work of Martin Luther also had a significant impact in the way of handling government affairs. The pope and the emperor were in contention for the control of the Holy Roman Empire. It is imperative noting that y this time, the Catholic Church claimed authority in both religious and secular leaders of this empire. With the leadership of Charles V, the power within all states in Germany was limited by that of the provincial princes. The power struggles between the Protestants and the Catholics brought about the ‘’First Diet of Speyer’’. This was a diet held in 1526 with the objective of addressing the advancing Protestant reformation that was a threat to Catholic authority. It is also during this diet that the issue about the implementation of the of Edict of Worm was also discussed at length[21]. The spreading of the Martin Luther’s teachings was a thorn in the flesh of the Catholics, and the Edict of Worm made it a crime to spread this message further[22]. Nevertheless, the freedom of religion was granted to all princes in Germany, and this allowed the Protestants message to gain further roots in Germany.  It is, however, worth noting that Emperor Charles V could not tolerate religious rights enjoyed by the Protestants.

By this time, the work of Martin Luther and the Protestants movements had spread to other parts as well. Most people in different parts of the Europe were discontented with the Catholic authority and were in need of a new world order. Other countries such as Switzerland, England, and America among other were pushing the Protestants agenda. For instance, Ulrich Zwingli led the confrontation against the Catholic authority in Switzerland citing the escalating corruption among the church’s ecclesiastical hierarchy.

Anabaptism

The search of Eden in Europe brought about the emergence of Anabaptism. It was a term mostly use by the opponents of reformation and used to identify individuals who were not Catholics nor Lutherans or Protestants. They were found in Germany, Switzerland and Holland among other countries where Protestant reformation was evident. The literal meaning of this term is re-baptism and was used to the extremists who were against the baptism of the infants. It is also worth noting that this group advocated for re-baptism of all believers who had been baptized as infants. According to the Anabaptists, immersion of infants was not a true baptism since the rite was not regenerative but instead an outward sign of inner experience. In fact, they claimed baptism was the rebirth of spirit, and only an adult would understand this implication.   The Anabaptists also believed that every person had the right to choose his or her Church through the guidance of inner self[23]. Anabaptists were also strong followers of the new testaments and were very much against swearing oaths and recourse to violence even if at the behest f magistrate or for any other purpose.

Now the new order and emergence of the Anabaptist were perceived a threat to both the Protestants and the Catholics. To deal with this threat, the Catholics in agreement with the Lutherans agreed on the use of the Diet of Speyer that subjected the Anabaptist to death penalties[24]. There was great persecution of Anabaptist leaders to silence them for fear of more reformation.

The presence of Anabaptist was more evident in Switzerland as compared to other European countries. It was a group of young people who challenged Zwingli, who was confronting Catholic authority in Switzerland, to be more radical while spearheading his reforms. According to this group, Zwingli was to advocate for the baptism of adult believers and separate the church from the secular leadership of Zurich city council. After he had failed to agree with this proposal, the young believers detached themselves from the Zwingli’s church. It became the first church that was free of control from the state. They started a campaign of baptizing adults denouncing the re-baptizing tag that was already bestowed on them. They never recognized the validity of infant baptism and thus according to them they were not re-baptizers. Between 1520 and 1530, the ideologies of Anabaptism had spread to other parts.

To some extent, the emergence of the Anabaptist can be attributed to the works of Martin Luther and Zwingli. Martin Luther was heavily involved in translating the Bible into The German language thus making it possible for more people to read. Also, Zwingli was also committed to enhancing the work of Martin Luther and ensures that the Bible was easily accessible. It is even essential noting that Zwingli even accused Luther of not following the Bible closely enough. As a result, the Anabaptists who broke from the Zwingli Church were also determined to continue with the work of increasing accessibility of the Bible to many church goers as possible. The issues of literacy were top agenda among the Anabaptists as compared to other Protestants. They advised Christians to read the Bible and follow its teachings in their daily lives. Anabaptist especially focused on the life and teachings of Jesus especially on the Sermon on the Mount in the book of Matthew chapter 7.

The peasants’ revolt that was witnessed in the 1520s was also another factor that led to the emergence of the Anabaptists[25]. Most parts of Western Europe experienced violence from the poor peasants. The poor people of these countries were subjected to harsh living conditions and decided to fight in search of the Promised Land.  As the revolt continued, most of these poor people became resentful to church and secular leaders who took advantage of their exploitation for their selfish gains. Most leaders crashed on the Protestants and in the process many poor peasants, approximately six thousand, died while only six government soldiers succumbed during the confrontation[26].These events were very painful and made the Anabaptists be very much against hierarchical control. Anabaptists believed that this was not the right way to handle violence and that the leaders failed to administer justice to the poor. In essence, the Anabaptist was a movement of disillusioned peasants who supported the revolt. The Anabaptists viewed it necessary having a different faith.

Monasticism also played a significant part in the development of the Anabaptist faith.  Anabaptist leader known as Michael Sattler drafted the Schleitheim Confession of 1527 that provided discipleship and pacifism as the core Anabaptist beliefs[27]. Before joining Anabaptist, Sattler was a Benedictine monk who advanced the Anabaptism faith with the help of his theological experience. Monasticism was, as a result, separation by Christians moving into small and isolated monasteries. For instance, Michael Sattler left the Benedictines in 1525 and joined the Anabaptist. He found Anabaptist as his new home and contributed a lot towards the movement[28]. Community service, ethics, and love are some of the values of Anabaptist that Sattler brought with him to the movement.

It is however, imperative to note that most of the members of this movements met with martyrs’ death. However, this did not deter the movement from spreading its ideologies to other parts. It is, however, wise noting that the movement suffered from internal conflicts and splits as early as its inception. Nevertheless, the members were people of strong faith and believed in staying together as one and being persistent[29]. Continued persecution of the leaders was also a major cause of the disintegration of this movement. Most of the movements’ early leaders were victims of persecution, exile and life imprisonment among other inhuman treatment. These tribulations lead to massive withdrawals from the members of the movements[30].

The Anabaptist movement survived beyond the 1550s and was believed to uphold the following values;

  • That all the Christians have direct access to the Bible and God and no need for intermediaries.
  • Discipleship is an integral part of faith. Just as the book of Matthew says that faith without action is dead, Christians should know that Jesus is the way and through Him they get eternal life
  • The Bible is the supreme source of Christian authority and not the Pope.
  • That baptism is only for believers and should only be for the adults who consciously decide to follow the rite.
  • Christians should reject violence
  • Christians should not conform to the sinful nature of the world.

In essence, Anabaptists were radical reformers who went a step further where they wanted total separation between the state and the religion. Just like the reformers, the Anabaptist also stood for Sola Scriptura where they advocated for the word alone as the source of authority and the weapon of faith for Christians[31]. Also, Anabaptist also stood for sola Fidel that meant that faith in Christ alone is the basis of the church. It is evident that the Anabaptist movement understood the word of God and God himself.

English Puritans

The reformation process is also known to have brought about the English Puritans in the 1500s. The reformation process in England was initiated by the translation f the Bible into English. When the people of England got the understanding of the Bible, then they deemed it fit to seek full reformation of the Church of England[32]. The reformers talked of purifying the Church of England. After the Reformation practice spread in most parts of Europe, people like Thomas Cartwright began to argue for a purified English Christianity[33]. The discontent from the Catholic Church had spread across Europe, and the people of England wanted to have a church free from Catholic medieval trappings and vestments. Church of England traced its root to the Roman church and people Cartwright were determined to shed off this relationship[34]. This evangelical movement came to be known as the ‘Puritans.’

Just like the other reform movements, the Puritans were also faced with numerous challenges as they tried to make their intentions known to the people. These were dangerous moments to everyone who was against the Church of England. During the era of “Bloody Mary” and in early 16th century most people who were against the church were burned at a stake[35]. However, just like the Protestants and the Anabaptists, the Puritans were also determined to fulfill their agenda and the message spread both inside the church and outside the church by the people who were convinced of the need for change.

Coming to the throne of Protestant King James I in 1603 gave the Puritans the best chance to push their agenda. These were turbulent moments in England and most political extremists, and some religious leaders were abroad. The urge for reform by the Puritans was a threat to both the church and the secular leadership of the country. According to the King, puritans interrupted the national peace that the government had worked so hard to maintain. The tension between the reformers and conformists escalated and by 1605, a Catholic zealot y the name Fawkes attempted to blow the national parliament. The intention of Fawkes and his friend was to blow the Protestant king and as many Puritans parliamentarians as possible[36]. However, this plan was discovered and thwarted before maturity and lead to the execution of Fawkes.

The Puritans were determined just like the Luther and Zwingli to increase accessibility of the Bible to as many people as possible. By 1611, the Protestants had enrolled the King James Bible, which was very popular among the people.  Increased accessibility of the Bible led to an increase in the number of Puritans, who by now had a better meaning of the word of God.            Despite King James efforts to restrict movers and shakers, the Puritans were getting more determined in their pursuit of reforms. During this era of the Puritans, evangelicals in England chose either to separate from the Church of England or become non-conformists or they join the Puritans and stay in the church hoping to get reforms from within. Although any form of separation resulted in persecution, the pure Puritans who denounced the church found it rougher[37]. Under the leadership of King James, the holy scriptures were available to men but this did not guarantee religion freedom in the country. The England population was not allowed to worship outside the Church of England[38]. The king had bishops who had the role of overseeing the persecution of the Puritans. As a result, many Puritans decided to flee the country to safer places. In 1608, a group of Puritan from Scrooby town flees the country for Holland.

By this time, Holland had accumulated massive wealth from the expanding sea trade to India. Holland had also received many people from central Europe, who had fled their countries as a result of the Reformation wars.  This influx of people in this country had been of much benefit to the country in different ways. The Reformation era brought about a different set of people with different ideologies, and everyone thought his ideology was the best. During the 16th century, Holland was considered the trade center for Europe. The accumulation of different people in this country also enables the country to be the hub of new ideas[39]. Ideas such as the Renaissance art, previously from Italy, could be peacefully expressed in Holland where there was no interference from the church or the government[40]. This provided a good environment for humanists, evangelists, rationalists and free thinkers. The Dutch trade had made Holland a dominant power in Europe during the Reformation era. The country offered a good place where worshippers would worship without fear of persecution. Bible studies and Christian schools were also freely operational in this country. However, pilgrims and the puritans were just here temporarily ad were on a journey to their destiny.  The Puritans wee to stay in Holland only for twelve years before embarking on their epic journey. The puritans and pilgrims were destined for a new world, and it was just a matter of time before they get to their destiny.

All this time, Puritans were still under the restriction of worship, but they were still high in spirit to achieve their objectives. It is, however, prudent noting that they had no problem with the state’s control of the church the medieval and trappings of the Roman Catholic in the Church of England had to come to an end. The Puritans were determined the system from within the Church of England.  However, they were very much frustrated by the King, who had clear guidelines that any worshipping must be done inside the church[41]. Although he Church of England had separated from Roman Catholicism, the separation was not so much spiritual but instead was a political one. The separation from the Catholicism was the work of Henry vii. Despite the fewer ties with the Catholic, the Englishmen were now more enlightened, and reading of the Bible had enabled them to have personal faith in Christ[42]. By now, the Puritans were ready to move out of the medieval darkness and search for Grade of Eden. However, the kings and the bishops were always there to frustrate these efforts.

The Puritans had found a new meaning of Christian life from reading the bible, but the King always stood on their way. This made it very tough on emerging puritans. This is because they feared taking the road of separation like the pilgrims did to avoid the hardships that they went through.  Emerging Puritans would not worship in secret nor did they want to gather in little fellowships. Nevertheless, their conscious was clear to bring the necessary reforms to the Church of England. They never objected state control, but they wanted a national church that ha enlightened biblical teachings. The Puritans were determined to bring social and political order that was guided by the principles of the word of God.  The whole of the 16th century was a busy period for the Puritans whose objective was to build an enormous political pressure in the English society.

The founding of the Massachusetts Bay Colony

The reformation process at the Church of England is responsible for the foundation of the Massachusetts Bay colony.  This was a colony founded by the Puritans from England. After the persecutions and tribulations had suppressed on them by the king and his bishops, the Puritans were determined to find the new world where they would create a model religious community. Puritans search of Eden was a noble duty that no one would stop them from fulfilling their objective. Their determination to cut ties with Catholic acts and wanted a religion where the word of God would be the only source of the Christian faith[43]. Neither the established Anglican Church nor the incumbent Church of England was pleasing to them and were ready to get to a new destiny.

The Puritans had tried the purification process of the Church of England for long periods but in futility. By 1929, the group was already tired and feared that God would soon punish the sinful English[44]. Driven by this fear, a group of wealthy Puritans formed the Massachusetts Bay Company. This was a joint stock company that would hire ships to transport the Puritans to the Massachusetts Bay colony[45]. The group, led by John Winthrop, was determined to establish a community that would be an example to others in matters relating to religion. In fact, Winthrop would refer to it as a ‘city on a hill,’ that would be an example of a perfect religious community. With a fleet of more than twelve ships, known as Winthrop fleet, the Puritan embarked on a journey and landed on the shores of Massachusetts on 12th June and landed at Salem.

On arrival, the Puritans could not be hosted by the existing colony due to lack of food and shelter. They had to look for a new home, and they settled in Charlestown, which is currently known as Boston. Though it was a better settlement, the colony still suffered due to lack of fresh drinking water. Winthrop was however invited by his old friend, Blackstone, who was staying on the peninsula and the colony established their settlements there[46]. After increasing in number, the colony bought fifty acres from Blackstone and named the place Boston, which was the capital of the Massachusetts Bay Colony.

The Massachusetts Bay Colony was very different from any other colony in other parts of the world. While the other colonies had the history of growing very slow, the Puritans’ colony was incredibly fast. After only one year, the colony had matched the size of Virginia colonies that had been in existence for over a weekend. It is worth noting that approximately 9000 Puritans had arrived in the Massachusetts Bay Colony between 1629 and 1643. The Puritans had one objective of converting naïve Americans to Christianity.

The colony was growing at an alarming speed and by late 1940s the colony had received over 40,000 English colonists. Some areas especially the coastal areas of Salem became congested, and the colonists had to move inland to ensure that they fit. The migration to the islands led to the establishment of farming communities that brought about Salem village and many other farming villages in the colony[47]. More and more English colonists moved to Massachusetts increasing the number of colonies to four namely; Plymouth, Massachusetts Bay, new Haven, and the Connecticut. Each community had a meeting house that would be used to host church services. The Massachusetts Bay colony also established schools in every town.

As the colony grew, they deemed it fit to form a military alliance that could defend them against attacks from Native Americans[48]. Despite their immense fear of the natives, the Puritans still believed that they had a moral obligation of civilizing the new world as well as the Native Americans. The colonist was said to come along with diseases that started ravaging on the Native Americans. Most people of American origin living in New England succumbed to these diseases. There was, however, a growing resentment between the Native Americans and the Puritans that eventually broke into war. In 1675, the colony engaged in a war that was to be commonly referred to as King Philip’s war. As a result of this war, the Wampanoag and Narragansett tribes were completely phased out on the face of the earth. Those who survived the war either fled the place or they surrendered to the colonists and sold as slaves[49]. The colony had a system that religion and government were strongly intertwined, and only strong religious believers were to serve in the government. Puritans move to this area since they were highly intolerant other religions and thus they would not tolerate people whom they did not share the same religious ideologies.

Conclusion

Protestant reformation is one of the major historic events in the European history. Most leaders such as martin Luther, Calvin and Zwingli played a significant role in bringing the much needed social and religious changes in the world. The search of Eden brought about development of a new Christian discourse of faith that came along with new religious theology and philosophy in Christian set up. It is also imperative noting that secular leadership also changed significantly as we witnessed the emergence of United States colonies. Emergence of The puritans and the Massachusetts Bay colony are some of the repercussions of the reformation process. Although the search of Eden is a continuous process, the insights brought about by the Protestants are evident to date[50]. In conclusion, existence of the Presbyterian and Methodists churches are clear indications of the success from the reformation process.

 

Bibliography

Bainton, Roland H. 1956. The Age Of The Reformation. Princeton, N.J.: Van Nostrand.

Baring-Gould, S, and S Baring-Gould. 1891. Freaks Of Fanaticism And Other Strange Events. London: Methuen & Co.

Baun, Michael. 2005. ‘Germany And Central Europe: Hegemony Re-Examined’. German Politics 14 (3): 371-389. doi:10.1080/09644000500268878.

Baylor, Michael G. 1991. The Radical Reformation. Cambridge [England]: Cambridge University Press.

Baylor, Michael G. 2012. The German Reformation And The Peasants’ War. Boston [Mass.]: Bedford/St. Martin’s.

Baylor, Michael G. 1971. Conscience In Late Scholasticism And The Young Luther.

Cohn, Norman. 1970. The Pursuit Of The Millennium. New York: Oxford University Press.

De Valdez, Juan, Angel M Mergal, and George Hunston Willams. 1957. Spiritual And Anabaptist Writers : Documents Illustrative Of The Radical Reformation : And Evangelical Catholicism As Represented By Juan De Valdes. London: SCM Press.

Dow, George Francis. 1967. Every Day Life In The Massachusetts Bay Colony. New York: B. Blom.

Dyck, Cornelius J. 1993. An Introduction To Mennonite History. Scottdale, Pa.: Herald Press.

Hillerbrand, Hans J., and John S. Oyer. 1966. ‘Lutheran Reformers Against Anabaptists: Luther, Melanchthon And Menius And The Anabaptists Of Central Germany’. The American Historical Review 71 (2): 598. doi:10.2307/1846442.

Horsch, J. 1908. ‘Luther’s Relation To The Anabaptists’. Review & Expositor 5 (3): 397-404. doi:10.1177/003463730800500305.

Hsia, R. Po-chia. 1988. The German People And The Reformation. Ithaca: Cornell University Press.

Kerssenbroch, Hermann von, and Christopher S Mackay. 2007. Narrative Of The Anabaptist Madness. Leiden: Brill.

Lindsay, Thomas M. 1906. A History Of The Reformation. New York: C. Scribner’s Sons.

McManus, Cathal. 2015. ‘“Bound In Darkness And Idolatry”? Protestant Working-Class Underachievement And Unionist Hegemony’. Irish Studies Review 23 (1): 48-67. doi:10.1080/09670882.2014.1001150.

Mosse, George L. 1963. The Reformation. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston.

Reid, W. Stanford. 1968. The Reformation. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston.

Vansittart, Peter. 1989. Voices Of The Revolution. London: Collins.

Williams, George Hunston, and George Huntston Williams. 1975. The Radical Reformation. Philadelphia: The Westminster Press.

 

[1] Bainton, Roland H. 1956. The Age Of The Reformation. Princeton, N.J.: Van Nostrand.

[2] Baring-Gould, S, and S Baring-Gould. 1891. Freaks Of Fanaticism And Other Strange Events. London: Methuen & Co.

[3] [3] Baun, Michael. 2005. ‘Germany And Central Europe: Hegemony Re-Examined’. German Politics 14 (3): 371-389. doi:10.1080/09644000500268878.

[4] Mosse, George L. 1963. The Reformation. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston.

[5] [5] Baun, Michael. 2005. ‘Germany And Central Europe: Hegemony Re-Examined’. German Politics 14 (3): 371-389. doi:10.1080/09644000500268878.

[6] Baun, Michael. 2005. ‘Germany And Central Europe: Hegemony Re-Examined’. German Politics 14 (3): 371-389. doi:10.1080/09644000500268878.

[7] Baring-Gould, S, and S Baring-Gould. 1891. Freaks Of Fanaticism And Other Strange Events. London: Methuen & Co.

[8]Bainton, Roland H. 1956. The Age Of The Reformation. Princeton, N.J.: Van Nostrand.

[9] Baring-Gould, S, and S Baring-Gould. 1891. Freaks Of Fanaticism And Other Strange Events. London: Methuen & Co.

[10] Baring-Gould, S, and S Baring-Gould. 1891. Freaks Of Fanaticism And Other Strange Events. London: Methuen & Co.

[11] Mosse, George L. 1963. The Reformation. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston.

[12] Baun, Michael. 2005. ‘Germany And Central Europe: Hegemony Re-Examined’. German Politics 14 (3): 371-389. doi:10.1080/09644000500268878.

[13] Baring-Gould, S, and S Baring-Gould. 1891. Freaks Of Fanaticism And Other Strange Events. London: Methuen & Co.

[14] Bainton, Roland H. 1956. The Age Of The Reformation. Princeton, N.J.: Van Nostrand.

[15] Baring-Gould, S, and S Baring-Gould. 1891. Freaks Of Fanaticism And Other Strange Events. London: Methuen & Co.

[16] Bainton, Roland H. 1956. The Age Of The Reformation. Princeton, N.J.: Van Nostrand.

[17] Vansittart, Peter. 1989. Voices Of The Revolution. London: Collins

[18] Bainton, Roland H. 1956. The Age Of The Reformation. Princeton, N.J.: Van Nostrand.

[19] Baring-Gould, S, and S Baring-Gould. 1891. Freaks Of Fanaticism And Other Strange Events. London: Methuen & Co.

[20] De Valdez, Juan, Angel M Mergal, and George Hunston Willams. 1957. Spiritual And Anabaptist Writers : Documents Illustrative Of The Radical Reformation : And Evangelical Catholicism As Represented By Juan De Valdes. London: SCM Press.

[21] Baring-Gould, S, and S Baring-Gould. 1891. Freaks Of Fanaticism And Other Strange Events. London: Methuen & Co.

[22] Baun, Michael. 2005. ‘Germany And Central Europe: Hegemony Re-Examined’. German Politics 14 (3): 371-389. doi:10.1080/09644000500268878.

[23] Baring-Gould, S, and S Baring-Gould. 1891. Freaks Of Fanaticism And Other Strange Events. London: Methuen & Co.

[24] Bainton, Roland H. 1956. The Age Of The Reformation. Princeton, N.J.: Van Nostrand.

[25] Baring-Gould, S, and S Baring-Gould. 1891. Freaks Of Fanaticism And Other Strange Events. London: Methuen & Co.

[26] Baun, Michael. 2005. ‘Germany And Central Europe: Hegemony Re-Examined’. German Politics 14 (3): 371-389. doi:10.1080/09644000500268878.

[27] De Valdez, Juan, Angel M Mergal, and George Hunston Willams. 1957. Spiritual And Anabaptist Writers : Documents Illustrative Of The Radical Reformation : And Evangelical Catholicism As Represented By Juan De Valdes. London: SCM Press.

[28] Bainton, Roland H. 1956. The Age Of The Reformation. Princeton, N.J.: Van Nostrand.

[29] De Valdez, Juan, Angel M Mergal, and George Hunston Willams. 1957. Spiritual And Anabaptist Writers : Documents Illustrative Of The Radical Reformation : And Evangelical Catholicism As Represented By Juan De Valdes. London: SCM Press.

[30] Dyck, Cornelius J. 1993. An Introduction To Mennonite History. Scottdale, Pa.: Herald Press.

[31] Bainton, Roland H. 1956. The Age Of The Reformation. Princeton, N.J.: Van Nostrand.

[32] Hsia, R. Po-chia. 1988. The German People And The Reformation. Ithaca: Cornell University Press.

[33] Hsia, R. Po-chia. 1988. The German People And The Reformation. Ithaca: Cornell University Press.

[34] Baring-Gould, S, and S Baring-Gould. 1891. Freaks Of Fanaticism And Other Strange Events. London: Methuen & Co.

[35] Bainton, Roland H. 1956. The Age Of The Reformation. Princeton, N.J.: Van Nostrand.

[36] Dyck, Cornelius J. 1993. An Introduction To Mennonite History. Scottdale, Pa.: Herald Press.

[37] Bainton, Roland H. 1956. The Age Of The Reformation. Princeton, N.J.: Van Nostrand.

[38] Baring-Gould, S, and S Baring-Gould. 1891. Freaks Of Fanaticism And Other Strange Events. London: Methuen & Co.

[39] Vansittart, Peter. 1989. Voices Of The Revolution. London: Collins

[40] Dow, George Francis. 1967. Every Day Life In The Massachusetts Bay Colony. New York: B.

[41] Dyck, Cornelius J. 1993. An Introduction To Mennonite History. Scottdale, Pa.: Herald Press.

[42] Baring-Gould, S, and S Baring-Gould. 1891. Freaks Of Fanaticism And Other Strange Events. London: Methuen & Co.

[43] Baring-Gould, S, and S Baring-Gould. 1891. Freaks Of Fanaticism And Other Strange Events. London: Methuen & Co.

[44] Dow, George Francis. 1967. Every Day Life In The Massachusetts Bay Colony. New York: B.

[45] Hsia, R. Po-chia. 1988. The German People And The Reformation. Ithaca: Cornell University Press.

[46] Baring-Gould, S, and S Baring-Gould. 1891. Freaks Of Fanaticism And Other Strange Events. London: Methuen & Co.

[47] Bainton, Roland H. 1956. The Age Of The Reformation. Princeton, N.J.: Van Nostrand.

[48] Dow, George Francis. 1967. Every Day Life In The Massachusetts Bay Colony. New York: B.

[49] Baring-Gould, S, and S Baring-Gould. 1891. Freaks Of Fanaticism And Other Strange Events. London: Methuen & Co.

[50] Dyck, Cornelius J. 1993. An Introduction To Mennonite History. Scottdale, Pa.: Herald Press.

 
Do you need an Original High Quality Academic Custom Essay?