Influence of Religion on Society during the Fifteenth and Sixteenth Cen

Influence of Religion on Society during the Fifteenth and Sixteenth Centuries The undeniable power, force, and influence of religion stand out throughout history. However, according to J. Michael Allen and James B. Allen in World History from 1500, in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, religion was exceptionally important, because it had a great influence on everything from government to social order and family relationships (16). Hundreds of years may separate these two time periods and the modern world, but the same positive effects of religion such as unity, security, and a social order are still basic ideals in today’s world. This is also true for the negative effects such as the conflicts that result in war and bloodshed, the separation of social classes, and the corruption throughout the church, especially the recent sex scandal in the Catholic church. In order to appreciate the impacts of religion during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries the positive and negative effects of this era must be understood. During the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, religion gave people a sense of belonging. Belonging to a church was important during this time because it gave people a sense of security and support. This was important because it made it much easier to deal with everyday problems and issues. For instance, diseases and death were extremely common during this time period, because of the lack of medicine and technology. So, religion played an extremely important role in giving people a â€Å"guiding light† to pray for support, health, and help. People also had a sense of spiritual protection in everyday life and also in the afterlife. With a sense of protection, they lived a life with less fear of d... ...o this period, giving people the background of such problems. Works Cited Allen, Michael J., and James B. Allen. World History from 1500. New York: Harper Collins, 1993. Conquest of Paradise. Dir. Ridley Scott. Perf. Gerald Despardieu, Armand Assante, and Sigorney Weaver. Bravo Special Presentation. Class Film. HSS-212-003. Fall Semester. September 12, 2002. Conquistadors. Dir. David Wallace. Narr. Michael Wood. Maya Vision. PBS Presentation, 7 Aug. 2001. Class Film. HSS-212-003. Fall Semester. September 19, 2002. Joan of Arc. Written by Micahel Alexander Miller and Ronald Parker . Dir. Christian Duguay. Perf. Leelee Sobieski, Chad Willett, Peter Strauss and Peter O’Toole. Class Movie. HSS-212-003. Fall Semester. 2002 Mary, Queen of Scots. Nar. Star Jones. A&E Special Presentation. Class Movie. HSS-212-003. Fall Semester. September 26, 2002.