THE HIDDEN REASON WHY THE REFORMATION SUCCEEDED

Authors

  • Patrick Dolan DHARMARAM VIDHYA KSHETRAM (DVK)

Keywords:

Authority, Reformation, BlackDeath

Abstract

The reason that the Reformation happened half a millennium ago was
not the corruption in the Catholic Church, but a lack of confidence in
the authority and ability of the clergy to connect one with God.
Contributing to this attitude were the Black Death which
disproportionately killed clergy (who had to be replaced quickly by
less well-formed clergy) and the Great Western Schism which
diminished the respect for the pope. The position arose that one could
connect with God without the assistance of a hierarchy or their
sacramental powers. Secular rulers took advantage of this new attitude
to further their own ambitions.

Author Biography

Patrick Dolan, DHARMARAM VIDHYA KSHETRAM (DVK)

Patrick Dolan, PhD, STD earned his doctorate in Inorganic Chemistry from
Indiana University, USA. He also holds a doctorate in Moral theology from the
Pontifical University of St. Thomas in Rome (Angelicum). He taught organic
chemistry and mathematics at Spalding University in Louisville, KY, and general
chemistry at St. Catherine College in Springfield, KY, all while pastoring in a series of
parishes in the Louisville Archdiocese and serving as a chaplain in the US army. He
has lectured on Just War issues to the US National Security Agency in 2002 and has
given retreats for clergy and laity (and provided sacraments) on 6 continents,
composed music and published 6 poems. He was a fellow at Harvard. His major
works include, “Land, the Key to Diocesan Priestly Spirituality” (1995), “Archetypes
of Spirituality” (1996), “Multiculturalism, Science and the Eucharist” (2003), all
published in Emmanuel magazine. Email: mucl@hotmail.com

References

Cardinal Koch, Catholic News Service, 2 June 1017, www.catholicnews.com
D. Steven Keller, “Paper,” World Book Encyclopedia, Chicago: Scott Felzer Co, 2016, Vol. 15, 136.
John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, Europe in Crisis, 1598–1648, London: Fontana, 1984, 219.
Moon Wayland Hayes, World History, New York: McMillan Co., 1932, 447.
Richard Cavendish, “John Wycliffe Condemned as a Heretic,” History Today 65, 5 (May 2015).
George Herring, Introduction To The History of Christianity, New York: New York University Press, 2006, 230.
George Sauvage, “Berengarius of Tours,” The Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol. 2, New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1907.

Downloads

Published

2017-06-30

How to Cite

Dolan, P. . (2017). THE HIDDEN REASON WHY THE REFORMATION SUCCEEDED. Asian Horizons, 11(02), 238–251. Retrieved from https://dvkjournals.in/index.php/ah/article/view/2485

Issue

Vol. 11 No. 02 (2017): ASIAN HORIZONS

Section

Articles