The Roman Catholic Church

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Predominantly located in Western Europe, the Roman Catholic Church played a large role in society during the Middle Ages. Members of the church relied on the teachings of the priest due to the lack of printed bibles and low literacy rates. The power that the church held over the people made citizens fearful to speak out as it may result in excommunication.The Catholic church included a hierarchy of officials which consisted of the pope, cardinal, archbishop, bishop, and priest. Over time the papal authority became corrupt and shifted their focus towards power and wealth. The abuses within the Catholic Church, especially the sale of indulgences, educational advances, and the strong leadership of men like Martin Luther lead to the decline …show more content…

On October 31st, 1517, Martin Luther hung his 95 Theses on the door of the Catholic Church in Wittenburg Germany. His theses stated what he felt was wrong with the Catholic Church like simony, nepotism, and the sale of indulgences and also formed the idea that the way to heaven is through faith. Martin Luther’s movement to expose the church’s wrongdoings and goal to create a more honest church that worships God fueled a movement. His theses spread throughout much of Germany and Europe due to the aid of the printing press and his ideas began to catch in many countries throughout Europe. The Roman Catholic Church began to realize they were in trouble, because Martin Luther’s mission to expose the church 's . He said what many people within the church were thinking. The Roman Catholic Church’s faults became impossible to hide and they struggled to keep members. Overall, Martin Luther pointed out the faults of the church and then explained what he believes; he created a movement to end the corruption of the Catholic Church. His belief of having a relationship with god versus developing a relationship with God through a priest made people feel that they could have control over their religious beliefs. Martin Luther’s perception of how a relationship with God should be developed and the misdeeds that he found within the Catholic church destroyed its credibility and resulted in a large portion of Catholics conforming to

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