In every religion reform movements emerge either to revive its original teachings or to re-adjust it to modern times. Some movements are short lived and after accomplishing the demands of certain groups, faded away in history. Some movements have long and enduring impact and continue to exist with changing interpretation.

In the history of Christianity, the institution of the church was very elaborate and strong and dominated not only religious life but also social and cultural activities of daily life. To maintain its domination, the church opposed any change in its structure. It severely punished all those reformers who from time to time raised their voice against its corruption and deviation from the original teachings of Christianity.

In the medieval Europe John Wycliffe (d.1384), John Huss (d.1415) and Girolamo Savanorola (d.1498) were important reformers who wanted to purify religion and to reform the institution of the church. As the Pope and the church were powerful, their movements were brutally crushed. John Huss and Savanorola were burnt at the stake.

However, in the 16th century, European society began to change and the domination of the church started to weaken. Its hold on education was challenged by the municipal school system which imparted liberal and secular education. The students who graduated from those schools joined the bureaucracy, business and other professions which were emerging to fulfil the demands of the market.

In the church run schools Latin was the medium of instruction, while in public schools local languages were taught. In the changing social and economic situation those who studied in secular schools were successful as compared to those who were educated in religious schools. The newly educated generation wanted freedom from religious restrictions.

Moreover, the rulers of Europe were eager to get rid of the domination of the church and assume full sovereign powers. Their major concern was that taxes extracted from their territories were taken away to Rome. If they defied the Pope and the church, they were excommunicated. Under these circumstances, the rulers and feudal lords wanted to gain independence from the hold of the church.

Therefore, when in 1517, Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses on the door of the local church, it reflected not only the corruption of the church and its officials but the unrest and disillusionment of the people who wanted to reform the intuition of the church.

Luther and his agents wanted reforms supported by German princes and the people at large. In cities, merchants and traders favoured the movement so they did not have to pay religious taxes which they considered a heavy burden.

Though Luther did not say a word in favour of the peasants and sought the help of feudal rulers, the peasants were inspired by the reforms and the challenge to the Pope’s authority and revolted against the rulers and their exploitation. They were influenced by the teachings of Luther which proclaimed justice in society on the basis of the Bible.

In 1524-25, the peasants’ rebellion shattered the whole fabric of German society. The rebellion was led by Thomas Munzer, a religious leader, who told them that rich people were responsible for their plight and poverty and wanted to keep them illiterate so they are not able to read the Bible. In his view religious reforms were not complete without transforming society by eliminating differences between the rich and poor.

Thomas Munzer was killed in the battlefield and the disciplined armies of the princes slaughtered the rebel peasants. Afterwards, Luther relied on the support and assistance of the rulers and reformation became Majestic Reformation.

Luther’s movement was followed by Ulrich Zwingli (d.1531) in Zurich and John Calcin ( d.1564) in Geneva. Henry the VIII of England founded the Zwinglian church. These movements changed the political, social and economic structure of Europe.

They plunged Germany in a 30-year religious war which ended in 1646 by the Treaty of Westphalia which laid down the foundation of nation states. According to it, the rulers of Germany could decide the religion of their states. It caused great migration within the German states in which Protestants and Catholics shifted to the states of their sects.

Thus, sectarian conflicts were unleashed in Europe. In France, which was predominantly a Catholic country, Protestants were persecuted and massacred which resulted in their migration to England, Holland and Germany. In England, Catholics were discriminated against and most of them fled to Catholic countries.

The Netherlands, which was under the rule of Spain, became Calvinist and Spain was forced to adjure faith and return to the Catholic fold. It led to the war of Independence in Netherlands against Spain. The religious turmoil and persecution ultimately ended in the 18th century when the church and the state became separate entities and the states became secular.

This is how Europe learnt its lesson from the sectarian and religious conflict and established a pluralistic society. The Protestant countries which challenged the authority of the Pope and broke the traditions prospered while the tradition-bound Catholic countries remained backward for a long time thence.

It shows that societies which liberated themselves from the hold of the religious dogma and extremism adopted newer changes and used their energies in developing their institutions for the welfare of the people.