Witchcraft:its affects on reformers and europe

Witchcraft was seen as a major threat throughout medieval Europe. "The development of medieval witchcraft is closely bound to that of heresy, the struggle for the expression of religious feeling beyond the limits tolerated by the Church. Sometimes that struggle was directed by fanatics whose conviction of self-righteousness enabled them to justify any excess so long as it hurt established society." There is really no better way to put how and what witchcraft is than the way stated above. The subject at hand brought about its strongest fears from the period of 1100-1700, and then started to die down a bit. However between 1560 and 1650 is where it was the strongest. This period was known as the, "witchcraft craze." Many people were accused, and prosecuted and many were put to death because of the ever-constant paranoia of witches. People were better off admitting that they were a witch, even if they were not; due to the horrible tortures that they would be put through after denial. If someone were just to admit to being a witch that person would then have the spirits removed from them. It is not just something that was common in the poor class. Witchcraft effected ev

Witchcraft also touched as far as the reformers. Martin Luther's reform was effected by witchcraft. In some of Martin Luther's readings he indicates just how powerful he thinks the devil is. Martin Luther believes that he himself was touched by the devil. He felt that the devil both physically and spiritually assaulted him throughout his reform. Martin Luther however used witchcraft in a different way; he used it in his own favor. He has many writings that make reference to evil, and harmful actions that witches may have done, and he would take them and include and compare his opponents thoughts to that of this witchcraft. Witchcraft was not something to be taken lightly, and Martin Luther knew that. "Although Luther has total faith in the omnipotence of Christ over the Devil and his legions, he saw the power of witches as indeed awesome." One of the great reformers of the Middle Ages respects the power of witchcraft that much that he would call it awesome. That is why people feared witchcraft so much, they knew of the power that the Devil could bring and that is what brought fear to these people. This is also why so many people got involved with witchcraft; they saw it as an opportunity to gain power. These demons were

eryone from the common people to popes, and even some of the great reformers of the period. People such as the philosopher, St. Thomas Aquinas, and reformers like Martin Luther and Jean Calvin. Witchcraft

was just beginning. He gave much of his insight on the topic before he died to try and help solve the problem. Calvin tried to teach how someone could be possessed by demons. He explains how the scriptures teach about taking precautions against the strategies of the devil and his spirits. Calvin points out that the Devil is everywhere. He explains that God should also be everywhere as long as we carry him in our hearts to give us the strength to help ourselves in the struggle against Satan. The Devil has a great army of followers and people who are pure are there to fight this army off to stay pure. These are the kind of things that Calvin shared in his attempt to help in the fight against witchcraft.

Some topics in this essay:
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