Reformation EuropeReformation Europein the 16in the 16thth Cent. Cent.

The implications of a division in The implications of a division in Christian EuropeChristian Europe

Given the division between Catholics and Given the division between Catholics and the many Protestant sects, it was not as the many Protestant sects, it was not as easy to control dogma. That does not easy to control dogma. That does not mean that both Catholics and Protestants mean that both Catholics and Protestants did not have dogma, they did; moreover, did not have dogma, they did; moreover, religious religious tolerationtoleration was was notnot a feature of a feature of Reformation Europe. What was important Reformation Europe. What was important here is that the monolithic structure of here is that the monolithic structure of Christianity was destroyed, and that ipso Christianity was destroyed, and that ipso facto allowed for greater individual freedom facto allowed for greater individual freedom to pursue research in areas that challenged to pursue research in areas that challenged the status quo.the status quo.

On the Catholic Church

Bear in mind that the Church was not completely hostile to science. Consider the work done (admittedly to determine the date of Easter) that required considerable care and insight, namely using cathedrals to measure the sun. The device; the orb of the sun ; and the system; and how it looks .

On the protestants

Even tho there is a clear movement among the educated [still small numerically] towardadopting a new cosmological perspective, consider this comment from Luther: in one of his Advent sermons . . . said, "The heathen write that the comet may arise from natural causes, but God creates not one that does not foretoken a sure calamity." Again he said, "Whatever moves in the heaven in an unusual way is certainly a sign of God's wrath." What conclusions do you come to?

What was different was the following:

The development of national, secular and centralized states whose structure was legitimized by the appeal to reason (rather than religious belief); idea idea of ‘popular sovereignty’ will not come until the Enlightenment.

The growth of commerce and trade empowered a bourgeoisie that needed education to run its affairs, was more comfortable with "scientific” / rational / empirical thinking; secular bureaucrats and entrepreneurs rejected excessive intrusions of religious belief and the religious establishment.

The monopoly on knowledge by the The monopoly on knowledge by the priestly caste was brokenpriestly caste was broken

Governments found they could legitimize Governments found they could legitimize themselves by supporting high culture. This led to themselves by supporting high culture. This led to the foundation of the foundation of academiesacademies of science (very of science (very elitist) and eventually (after the French elitist) and eventually (after the French Revolution) to the reorganization of universities Revolution) to the reorganization of universities on a more secular basis.on a more secular basis.

Reinforced by the discovering of Reinforced by the discovering of Roman law and Roman law and of the scientific treatisesof the scientific treatises (even of the twit (even of the twit Aristotle) of the Greco-Roman period. Such Aristotle) of the Greco-Roman period. Such materials were secular in character and, by virtue materials were secular in character and, by virtue of their antiquity provided an alternative to of their antiquity provided an alternative to church authority. church authority.

Europe did not become "liberal" in Europe did not become "liberal" in our sense of the wordour sense of the word

Some areas (predominantly those with Some areas (predominantly those with maritime and commercial establishments) maritime and commercial establishments) were more receptive to new ideas than were more receptive to new ideas than were others (where agriculture dominated were others (where agriculture dominated and feudalism persisted); scholars moved and feudalism persisted); scholars moved to where they were at least tolerated if not to where they were at least tolerated if not valued.valued.

Invention of the printing press gave new Invention of the printing press gave new meaning to "open/public, sustained self-meaning to "open/public, sustained self-conscious reflectionconscious reflection““..

Higher EducationHigher Education

Universities remained very underfunded and Universities remained very underfunded and very much under the control of clerics, both very much under the control of clerics, both protestant and catholic. protestant and catholic.

Tho there were some exceptions (Padua had Tho there were some exceptions (Padua had both Galileo and Vaselius as professors), they both Galileo and Vaselius as professors), they remained under the control of theologians of all remained under the control of theologians of all faiths.faiths.

But there was competitionBut there was competition..

The Jesuits, the Counter-reformation and The Jesuits, the Counter-reformation and AcademiesAcademies

Science was then supported primarily in the new Jesuit Science was then supported primarily in the new Jesuit stations (like the stations (like the Collegio RomanoCollegio Romano and on the square. Note and on the square. Note the role of Jesuits in education between 1550 and 1615. the role of Jesuits in education between 1550 and 1615. Wherever the Jesuits went both in Europe and to the East, Wherever the Jesuits went both in Europe and to the East, they stressed education and astronomy. But the end of they stressed education and astronomy. But the end of the17th Cent the court astronomer of China was a Jesuit. the17th Cent the court astronomer of China was a Jesuit.