Reformation 500 Years Later

The Protestant Reformation 500 Years Later: A Legacy of Harm Over Good

The Protestant Reformation, sparked by Martin Luther in 1517, marked its 500th anniversary in 2017, prompting reflection on its long-term impact on Christianity and Western society. While the Reformation initially sought to address corruption in the Catholic Church and promote biblical faith, its legacy has proven more harmful than beneficial over the centuries. Although it fostered free thinking and allowed new ideas to flourish, the lack of restraint in its principles—particularly the emphasis on individual interpretation of scripture—unleashed a cascade of dangerous ideologies, including the rise of LGBTQIA advocacy, atheism, secularism, humanism, abortion, and gender theory. These unchecked ideas, rooted in the Reformation’s fracturing of religious authority, have led to moral relativism and societal challenges that outweigh the movement’s initial benefits.

The Reformation’s Initial Intent and Early Benefits

The Protestant Reformation began when Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg on October 31, 1517, challenging the Catholic Church’s sale of indulgences and other abuses. Luther’s core principles—sola scriptura (scripture alone) and sola fide (faith alone)—aimed to return Christianity to its biblical roots, emphasizing personal faith over Church-mediated salvation (Luther, 1517). The Reformation did yield some positive outcomes: it broke the Catholic Church’s monopoly on religious thought, encouraged literacy through Bible translation (e.g., Luther’s German Bible, 1534), and spurred the Counter-Reformation, which led to reforms within the Catholic Church at the Council of Trent (1545–1563) (Hillerbrand, 1964).

The Reformation also fostered free thinking by empowering individuals to question authority and interpret scripture for themselves. This intellectual freedom contributed to the Renaissance and the Enlightenment, where new ideas in science, philosophy, and governance flourished. For example, the Reformation’s emphasis on individual conscience influenced thinkers like John Locke, whose ideas on religious tolerance and individual rights shaped modern democracy (Locke, A Letter Concerning Toleration, 1689). However, this freedom came at a steep cost, as the lack of a unifying authority allowed dangerous ideas to proliferate unchecked.

The Reformation’s Lack of Restraint and the Rise of Dangerous Ideologies

The Reformation’s principle of sola scriptura dismantled the Catholic Church’s role as the arbiter of doctrine, replacing it with individual interpretation of the Bible. While this initially aimed to correct ecclesiastical abuses, it led to rampant fragmentation, as differing interpretations birthed countless Protestant denominations—over 40,000 by 2025 (World Christian Database, 2023). This division weakened Christianity’s moral authority, creating a vacuum that dangerous ideologies filled over time.

1. Atheism and Secularism
   The Reformation’s challenge to Church authority set the stage for skepticism about religious institutions, fueling the Enlightenment’s turn toward reason over faith. Thinkers like Voltaire and Diderot, building on the Reformation’s legacy of questioning authority, promoted atheism and secularism, arguing that religion should be removed from public life (McGrath, 2004). The Peace of Westphalia (1648), which ended the religious wars sparked by the Reformation, established state sovereignty over religious matters, further entrenching secularism (Wilson, 2009). Today, secularism dominates Western governance, often marginalizing Christian values, as seen in policies that prioritize individual rights over traditional morality.
2. Humanism
   Humanism, which places human reason and autonomy at the center of morality, also emerged as a byproduct of the Reformation’s emphasis on individual conscience. While Renaissance humanism had Christian roots, the Reformation’s focus on personal interpretation shifted the focus away from God-centered ethics. By the 20th century, secular humanism, as articulated in the Humanist Manifesto (1933), rejected religious frameworks entirely, promoting a morality based on human desires rather than divine law (American Humanist Association, 1933). This shift underpins many modern ethical debates, including those on abortion and gender theory.
3. LGBTQIA Advocacy and Gender Theory
   The Reformation’s legacy of individualism and rejection of traditional authority paved the way for ideologies like LGBTQIA advocacy and gender theory. By prioritizing personal experience over collective doctrine, the Reformation’s principles evolved into modern identity politics, where self-defined truths trump objective moral standards. The Bible clearly defines marriage as between a man and a woman (Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:4-6, NIV), yet the Reformation’s fracturing of authority allowed for reinterpretations that reject these teachings. By 2025, many Protestant denominations, such as the United Methodist Church, have split over issues like same-sex marriage, reflecting the Reformation’s long-term impact on moral relativism (UMC News, 2024). Gender theory, which denies the binary nature of sex (Genesis 1:27), similarly thrives in a post-Reformation world where individual interpretation overrides traditional norms (Butler, Gender Trouble, 1990).
4. Abortion
   The Reformation’s emphasis on personal autonomy contributed to the rise of abortion advocacy by prioritizing individual choice over the sanctity of life. The Bible affirms the value of the unborn (Psalm 139:13-16), but the Reformation’s legacy of questioning authority led to moral relativism, where personal rights supersede divine commandments. The 1973 Roe v. Wade decision in the U.S., though later overturned in 2022, reflected this shift, rooted in the secular humanism that the Reformation indirectly fostered (Roe v. Wade, 410 U.S. 113, 1973). By 2025, abortion remains a contentious issue, with many Protestant communities divided on its morality, a direct consequence of the Reformation’s fragmentation (Pew Research Center, 2023).

Why the Harm Outweighs the Good

While the Reformation initially liberated individuals from ecclesiastical abuses and encouraged free thought, its lack of restraint unleashed ideologies that have eroded the moral foundation of Western society. Atheism and secularism have marginalized faith, reducing Christianity’s influence on public life. Humanism, LGBTQIA advocacy, and gender theory have redefined morality based on human desires rather than divine truth, leading to a culture where “everyone does what is right in their own eyes” (Judges 21:25, NIV). Abortion, a grave moral evil in the eyes of traditional Christianity, has claimed millions of lives, justified by the same individualistic principles the Reformation championed (Guttmacher Institute, 2023).

The Reformation’s fracturing of Christian unity—resulting in thousands of denominations—has also weakened the Church’s ability to counter these dangerous ideas. The Catholic Church, despite its flaws, provided a unified moral framework that the Reformation shattered, leaving society vulnerable to relativism. As Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (later Pope Benedict XVI) noted in 2005, the Reformation’s legacy includes a “dictatorship of relativism,” where truth is subjective, and moral absolutes are dismissed (Ratzinger, Homily, April 18, 2005). This relativism, more than the Reformation’s initial reforms, defines its 500-year legacy, making its harm far greater than its good.

Conclusion

The 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation in 2017 was a moment to reflect on its complex legacy. While it initially addressed Church corruption and fostered free thinking, the lack of restraint in its principles—particularly sola scriptura—led to the proliferation of dangerous ideologies like atheism, secularism, humanism, LGBTQIA advocacy, gender theory, and abortion. These ideas, unchecked by a unified moral authority, have undermined Christian values and contributed to a relativistic culture that prioritizes individual desires over divine truth. The Reformation’s legacy, 500 years later, serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of unchecked freedom, reminding us of the need for a balanced authority to guide society toward the common good.

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Sources:

• Luther, Martin. 95 Theses (1517).
• Hillerbrand, Hans J. The Reformation: A Narrative History (1964).
• Locke, John. A Letter Concerning Toleration (1689).
• World Christian Database, Denominational Statistics (2023).
• McGrath, Alister E. Christianity’s Dangerous Idea (2004).
• Wilson, Peter H. The Thirty Years War: Europe’s Tragedy (2009).
• American Humanist Association, Humanist Manifesto I (1933).
• UMC News, “United Methodist Church Splits Over Same-Sex Marriage,” 2024.
• Butler, Judith. Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity (1990).
• Roe v. Wade, 410 U.S. 113 (1973).
• Pew Research Center, “Religious Landscape Study: Abortion Views,” 2023.
• Guttmacher Institute, “Global Abortion Statistics,” 2023.
• Ratzinger, Joseph. Homily, Pre-Conclave Mass, April 18, 2005.
• The Holy Bible, New International Version: Genesis 1:27, 2:24; Matthew 19:4-6; Psalm 139:13-16; Judges 21:25.