In class, we discussed if the Scientific Revolution and the Enlightenment were two separate, distinguishable events in history, or if they were both parts of one movement. As we discussed, we came to the conclusion that the Scientific Revolution was part A, and the Enlightenment was part B of the whole. The Enlightenment was surely a result of the Scientific Revolution, but whether the period of Enlightenment was guaranteed to follow the Scientific Revolution was in question. Without certain factors, the Enlightenment would have not happened.
-The death of Louis XIV in France: released country from an absolute religious leader... softened religious orthodoxy
-Thinkers and philosophers were allowed to question all their beliefs, including religion: led to the (re)start of political theory... study of human behavior- asking larger questions that faced the everyday man/woman
-Science was popularized and made public: wealthy embraced the new ideas and encouraged further studies
There are many more, but all of these mentioned above have something to do with getting rid of the corrupt Church. The Church of the time was like an oppressive government, suppressing Europe with its viselike grip on the leaders and power of the people. The Church used religion as a way of restricting people to gain as much power as possible. They pretended to have power over the fate of lives, instilling fear and superstition in the hearts of the people. Fear that prevented change.
As the government's and Church's power started the slip away, the philosophes took advantage of the weakness and began to reform ways of thinking, allowing their true beliefs to surface. The resistance did not dissipate quickly at all, but the ideas had a chance to be made public, and although some work was made forbidden, and thinkers like Voltaire imprisoned, by the end of the Enlightenment, the Church (like the government) was left in shambles- much of its power gone.
People were working hard to purify things, finding truth, and the corrupt Church proved to be one of the biggest hindrances the scientists and thinkers of the Scientific Revolution and the Enlightenment encountered. It was during that time when Martin Luther made reforms to the Church itself. The Church had become more of a political power, versus a spiritual guide. It needed to change-for it did not represent true Christian beliefs. Even the pilgrims left Europe to the Americas in order to seek religious purity... without the persecution of the Church in power.
The Enlightenment went straight into the French Revolution, and the power of the old Church continued to dwindle as the current government was weakened and destroyed. The corrupt government had used the Church as an excuse for many things, and the Church had had a strong hold on the government. With the downfall of the corrupt government, and with the corrupt Church tumbling down after it, the political power was restored and society was able to advance.
