How Did The Enlightenment Question Religious Belief?
During this period of the 18th Century, the importance of Christianity for civilisation to exist was being questioned. The Reformation had resulted in Christianity being split between Catholics and Protestants, which, in turn, resulted in some religious wars. Monarchs were beginning to assert their right to choose the state religion. This meant that the churches was dependant on the ruler for recognition of the official church of the country. The Reformation and the spread of the printed press had combined to create modern secular states. Significantly, a scientific revolution was taking place during the 17th Century which established a method of hypothesis tested by experiments. Mathematics and the invention of new instruments enabled scientists to look and learn about the universe and the human body. People started to think and explore for themselves, and, therefore, began to feel the Catholic Church in particular was not always correct in its interpretation.
