The Reformation & Counter-Reformation

• The Reformation & Counter-Reformation, represent the rebellion of the less civilized nations against the intellectual domination of Italy.
• In the Counter-Reformation there was only revolt against the intellectual & moral freedom of renaissance Italy.
• In the Reformation, the revolt  was political & theological.
• The Reformation was German & the Counter-Reformation was Spanish.
• The three great men of the Reformation & Counter-Reformation are Luther, Calvin & Loyola.
• Luther & Calvin's theology was to diminish the power of the church.
• Loyola created the Jesuit order
• Loyola was a soldier & his order was founded on military models such as: there must be unquestioning obedience to the general, & every Jesuit was to consider himself engaged in warfare against heresy.
• The Jesuit's were disciplined, able, completely devoted to the cause, skillful propagandists & they believed in free will.
• The Jesuit's concentrated on education, & acquired a firm hold on the minds of the young.Whenever theology didn't interfere, the education they gave was the best obtainable. They taught Descartes more Mathematics than he would of learnt elsewhere.