Four Views of the Nature and Role of Women in Sixteenth Century Protestantism, Lutheranism, Calvinism, Anabaptism, and English Puritanism
type: CreativeWork
description: Never in its fifteen-hundred year history had the Roman Catholic Church been so shaken as when, in the sixteenth century, a mere handful of men advanced the Scriptural doctrines that were to result in the rise of Protestantism. The sole authority of the Bible, the priesthood of all believers, and righteousness by faith alone rapidly took hold in a large part of Europe, especially in Germany, Switzerland, the Lowlands, and England, where the Lutherans, Calvinists, Anabaptists, and Puritans came to the fore. Because life in the sixteenth century was so closely tied up with the church, such a revolution was bound to have ramifications outside the purely ecclesiastical realm. It was the purpose of this thesis to reveal the effects of the Reformation doctrines on the prevailing view of the nature and role of woman in home, church, and society, and to outline the view of woman held by Luther, Calvin, the Anabaptists, and the English Puritans. Extensive use has been made of the American Edition of Luther's Works, Calvin's Commentaries, treatises and Christian life manuals by Puritan authors, and available sources on Anabaptism in English have been consulted. The Christian fascination with asceticism, evolving since the third century, had presented Catholicism with a dichotomy: on the one hand, marriage was considered a sacrament of the church; yet, on the other hand, virginity was portrayed as the epitome of virtue. The result was the division of Christian society into two estates--the secular and the clergy, one celibate and somehow "elevated," the other married and "inferior." Those who desired to travel the "high road of salvation'' were required to disregard the sexual aspects of their nature and in essence become asexual. Women denied their capacity for motherhood, men gave up association and intimacy with women. Against this stratification of society the Protestants, beginning with Luther, rebelled. Holding that all men--and women--are equal in their standing before …
abstract: Never in its fifteen-hundred year history had the Roman Catholic Church been so shaken as when, in the sixteenth century, a mere handful of men advanced the Scriptural doctrines that were to result in the rise of Protestantism. The sole authority of the Bible, the priesthood of all believers, and righteousness by faith alone rapidly took hold in a large part of Europe, especially in Germany, Switzerland, the Lowlands, and England, where the Lutherans, Calvinists, Anabaptists, and Puritans came to the fore. Because life in the sixteenth century was so closely tied up with the church, such a revolution was bound to have ramifications outside the purely ecclesiastical realm. It was the purpose of this thesis to reveal the effects of the Reformation doctrines on the prevailing view of the nature and role of woman in home, church, and society, and to outline the view of woman held by Luther, Calvin, the Anabaptists, and the English Puritans. Extensive use has been made of the American Edition of Luther's Works, Calvin's Commentaries, treatises and Christian life manuals by Puritan authors, and available sources on Anabaptism in English have been consulted. The Christian fascination with asceticism, evolving since the third century, had presented Catholicism with a dichotomy: on the one hand, marriage was considered a sacrament of the church; yet, on the other hand, virginity was portrayed as the epitome of virtue. The result was the division of Christian society into two estates--the secular and the clergy, one celibate and somehow "elevated," the other married and "inferior." Those who desired to travel the "high road of salvation'' were required to disregard the sexual aspects of their nature and in essence become asexual. Women denied their capacity for motherhood, men gave up association and intimacy with women. Against this stratification of society the Protestants, beginning with Luther, rebelled. Holding that all men--and women--are equal in their standing before …
author: Thomsen, Marilyn Fagal
language: English
keywords: History of Religion, Women's History, Women's Studies, Women and religion; Women in Christianity
date published: 1976-06-01T07:00:00Z
date modified: 2026-07-24T02:52:59Z
provider: Loma Linda University
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: Loma Linda University