Religion is considered an organized approach closely related to human spirituality and encompassing practices and beliefs; it strives to present the sense of life to humanity through a higher power and ultimate truth. It is necessary to underline that the development of religion underwent many changes and transformations as to its purpose and motives by introducing promotions; its position in the period to 1600 appeared to have different meanings from spirituality to power promotion. The emergency of various religious movements caused conflicts between their representatives based on political and theological interactions; this position denied the initial purpose of religion aimed at ‘good’ life guidance.
From the beginning of spiritual development, different social groups had personal expectations from their role on the world level. One of its oldest aims is considered to be the explanation of the mysterious nature. The modern religious movements still saved this aspect and clarified it through their particular higher gods and beliefs. It is necessary to underline that religious leaders provided ethical and moral instructions in the way religion was promoted in society. Spiritual teachings were pushed back with the development of religious symbols, practices, and concepts. One should stress that the modern world perceives religion as the expression of power presented in different forms by the states. The idea of religion predominantly lost its original sense and purpose of spiritual promotion and leading to the ‘good.’
In 1600, the meaning of religion was changed through the introduction of various religious movements; Christianity appeared to be the center of religious development in the society providing significant spiritual initiatives within the organization by introducing. The formation of churches was perceived as the strengthening method of Christianity among all other movements.
It should be noted that there appeared a muscular tension between the church being defined as faithful believers’ community and ecclesiastical hierarchy. Due to this fact, the perception of religion was considerably changed, combining the elements of hierarchy mobilization and mentality influencing the social formation. The central point of faith in the period was focused on sainthood as the principal link in human attachment to God. Church had great power and even became the way of political contradiction between religious movements (Aston, 1993).
It is necessary to underline that Protestantism, Catholicism, and Christianity had intense contradictions at the end of the 15th century; theological conflicts were predominantly based on the rights to scripture interpretation and salvation beliefs. French reformers managed to introduce many accommodations leading to the intense contradictions between Huguenots and Catholic Church. Besides, one should note that religion was influenced by political state development leading to considerable changes in its meaning for the society. Per religion’s historical development, the representatives and churches of various movements strived to demonstrate their power on the political level rather than the spiritual promotion of faiths and beliefs.
It should be stressed that religion became the method of conflict between the cultures and nations; current religious development is the continuation of the thousand-year struggle between the interests of the churches and their religions. Many promotions of many religious movements appeared to be the first step to the division of spiritual world perception. The power of every religion allowed insisting and pressing the society through the ideas and faiths promotion. It is necessary to underline that such a position influenced the social handling of higher powers which turned into political and ethical symbols of every state.
Religious movements division resulted in the monotheism and polytheism emergency; the idea of God and gods is considered the central issue for the conflicts between ancient and modern religions. The problem is regarded as the root of religious conflict from the beginning of Christianity and Catholicism development, rather than Islamic tradition. It is a well-known fact that nowadays, a three thousand-year battle between this monotheism and polytheism continues resulting in the number of terrorist attacks and global conflicts (Smith, 2001).
The analysis of spiritual development to 16th century managed to demonstrate the changes in its role for the society; one should underline the fact that current religion is expressed through the institutional system being the part of numerous political, ethical, and international conflicts, rather than uniting people under one common life sense, as it was at the very beginning of its development. The emergency of religious movements became the principal means of social division, leading to many contradictions; besides, religion is also a method of political power demonstration through the pressure of new reforms introduction.
References
- Aston, M. 1993. Faith and Fire: Popular and unpopular Religion, 1350-1600. Continuum Publishing Group. Pp. 333. Web.
- Smith, M. 2001. The origins of biblical monotheism: Israel’s polytheistic background and the Ugaritic texts. Oxford University press. Pp. 325. Web.