Completion of the Scheme by Luther and Calvin
The work explores the evolution of religion from primitive practices aimed at appeasing nature's forces to the sophisticated theological frameworks established by key figures in the Reformation. It highlights the transition from rituals requiring significant personal sacrifice, as seen in various cultures, to the more accessible faith-based salvation introduced by Luther and Calvin. The author argues that earlier religious forms demanded tangible sacrifices, while Luther's reformation represented a radical shift, emphasizing faith over ritual. This shift is portrayed as both imaginative and economically advantageous, as it democratized access to salvation, effectively removing the financial barriers previously imposed by the Church. Luther's insistence on Justification by Faith is presented as a pivotal moment in religious history, allowing individuals to attain spiritual redemption without the need for costly rituals or intermediaries. The text critiques the complexities of earlier religious practices and celebrates the simplicity and inclusivity of the Reformation's message, suggesting that Luther and Calvin fundamentally altered the landscape of Christianity by making heaven accessible to all believers, regardless of their socio-economic status. The work ultimately positions the Reformation as a significant turning point in the relationship between faith, personal sacrifice, and institutional religion.
By George Bernard Shaw · First published 1934 · Genre: Religious, Historical, Philosophical · 255 words
First lines
We now see our religion as a quaint but quite intelligible evolution from crude attempts to propitiate the destructive forces of Nature among savages to a subtle theology with a costly ritual of sacrifice possible only to the rich as a luxury, and finally to the religion of Luther and Calvin. And it must be said for the earlier forms that they involved very real sacrifices. The sacrifice was not always vicarious, and is not yet universally so. In India men pay with their own skins, torturing themselves hideously to attain holiness. In the west, saints amazed the world with their austerities and self-scourgings and confessions and vigils. But Luther delivered us from all that. His reformation was a triumph of imagination and a triumph of cheapness. It brought you complete salvation and asked you for nothing but faith.
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Completion of the Scheme by Luther and Calvin is listed on Textopian as an essay by George Bernard Shaw, dated 1934 CE.
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- Work type: Essay
- Author: George Bernard Shaw
- Date: 1934 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Religious, Historical, Philosophical, Sociological, Theological
- Length: 255 words
- Structure: 1 section, 2 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
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Genres
- Religious — The text discusses the evolution of religious practices and the impact of figures like Luther and Calvin on theology.
- Historical — The work examines historical developments in religious thought and practices.
- Philosophical — The narrative explores philosophical themes related to faith, sacrifice, and salvation.
- Sociological — The text analyzes the social implications of religious reforms and their effects on society.
Tags
theology · Reformation · Luther · Calvin · Protestantism · Christianity · religious history · doctrine · faith · scripture · church · schism