Since the early years of the World, history has been changing and is changing now, thanks to new discoveries in the sciences, new achievements of modern society, thanks to the TV and media. People live a life full of interests and opportunities. Since the creation of the World by almighty God people have studied to learn and to find something more in life, discover new facets of existence. And the achievements of sciences are exposed to the world through different means. One of them is history. Science makes it possible to investigate the past through todays means for the descendants of ours in the future. History is the only means to show the reader or the scientist the World in perspective. One of the achievements of todays history is the book “ The West in the World” by Dennis Sherman and Joyce Salisbury.
The history of modern European society counts centuries of creations, perturbations, developments, and formations. The beginning of the essay concerning the history and the centuries of the formations is nonrandom. The very given book gives the reader a precise understanding of the formation of Western culture. The narration in the book gets the reader back to ancient times and leads through every small feature of the cultural and political establishment. “The West in the World” book’s chapter 11 titled “Alone Before God!” involves the reader into interesting facts of the period of Religious Reform of the 15th century, the premises of the epoch, the condition and the strict and undivided ruling of the Christian Church and the Pope.
Martin Luthers confrontation against the Christian Religion was not the only one for that time complaining about the orthodox. The starting point of the church reformation is considered to be the Roman Catholic Church indulgences selling made by Johann Tetzel in 1516-1517. It was the time when Luthers opposition against the orthodox church and religion began. But some issues committed to the history annals were prior to Luthers confrontation and gave fertile soil for would-be Luthers critique. These are “Critique of Church Wealth” by an anonymous author, dated 1480, and “Against abuses in Indulgences” by Misconius, Franciscan monk, dated 1512.
“Critique of Church Wealth” is the historical source that gave the real estimation of what Heavens and Gods awe was. The manuscripts give a precise definition of orthodox Church activity when the justification and forgiveness are granted for the money or possession or some other material values, in contrast with the Bibles aspects of justification and forgiveness. It is apparent in the lines of the manuscript that salvation is the issue of the orthodox church with its medium function between people and God. It was the first glimpse into the orthodox church approaching disaster.
The second manuscript describes the authors, Miconius, confusion on Tetzels actions. It is the work that clearly stated and seen the mechanism of giving and gaining of salvation. The author exemplifies his own experience when heard and observed the impudent monk at work. Miconius criticizes Tetzels action and goes on with describing the reception of Tetzel by the church. “The indulgence was so highly prized that when the agent came to a city the bull was carried on a satin or gold cloth, and all the priests and monks, the town council, schoolmaster, scholars, men, women, girls, and children went out in procession to meet it with banners, candles, and songs. All the bells were rung and the organs played…” (Miconius, 1512).
So these two manuscripts clearly state that salvation is not that bought, justification is not that given for the money, forgiveness is not that indulgence gives.
Bibliography
Sherman, Dennis & Salisbury, Joyce. The West in the World. New York: McGraw-Hill.2004.