Corruption of the Catholic Church

Paper Summary:

In this article, the writer notes that on October 31, 1517, an event took place which carved a niche of immortality for one of the pivotal figures in religious history and quite literally caused a power shift away from what was up until that time the dominant religious force in the world. The writer points out that Martin Luther, an ordained Catholic priest, on that day in 1517 published a series of essays which on the surface challenged the supremacy of the Catholic Church, but ultimately, crushed the control that Catholic Popes had on Western religions quite literally for countless generations. This research reflects back upon the original problems created within the Catholic church which led to this upheaval, alternatives that could have been taken and more desirable courses of action. Finally, the writer presents a conclusion which sums up what the research has uncovered, altogether shedding more light on this fascinating chapter in world religious history.

Outline:
Introduction
The Problem and Contributing Factors
Alternative Courses of Action
A More Desirable Course of Action
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"Having taken a look at what was realistically possible for the Catholic Church from 1100 to 1500, it is now possible to propose a more desirable course of action for the Catholic Church prior to the protestant movement which brought the power of the church as an absolute to an end. To begin, the installation of a Pope, or any ultimate figurehead with so much power vested in them seems to be a poor idea- citing the old adage that absolute power corrupts absolutely. A better means of ruling the church on the highest levels would have been through more democratic means, such as a sort of ecclesiastical congress, which would have been made up of educated individuals who could fairly form church policy and lead the church without the ability, or temptation, to lead the like any sort of king. With this sort of controlling body in place, there are several other pivotal courses of action that the Catholic Church could have taken."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Ditchfield, S. (2007, April). The Roman Catholic Church: An Illustrated History. History Today, 57, 65.
• Fredericks, J. (2003). The Catholic Church and the Other Religious Paths: Rejecting Nothing That Is True and Holy. Theological Studies, 64(2), 225+.
• Jourdan, G. V. (1914). The Movement towards Catholic Reform in the Early XVI Century. London: John Murray.
• Luther, M. (1885). First Principles of the Reformation: Or the Ninety-Five Theses and the Three Primary Works of Dr. Martin Luther (H. Wage & C. A. Buchheim, Ed.). Philadelphia: Lutheran Publication Society.
• Mullett, M. (2000). Counter -- Reformation and Catholic Reformation Revisited. 21.

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