The Family
The Catholic church had stressed the sacrament of marriage, except, of course, for clergy, because they were not allowed to marry. Marriage was seen as the best way for many men, because it was the way God intended children to be created. Marriage helped men with lust problems to be obedient to God. Calvin also believed that men should stay celibate unless they couldn’t withstand temptation, and then the solution was marriage.
The family in the Reformation was different than before. The Catholics and the Protestants were taught that families should have good relationships. Because Protestants didn’t have celibate clergy, or any monks, everyone was allowed to marry, making the family very important in their lives. There was a friendship aspect between many of these husbands and wives, but there was also the idea of the husband being over the servant wife. The wife’s role was also to bear children. Luther and Calvin did see this, not as a job, but also as a plan of God for families. The Protestants viewed the role of a mother as a glorious and sanctified one, saying that God had created this role as a holy and important position. Because the Protestants did not have monks, the women almost always stayed home and helped the family. Since the father was the ruler of the house, the woman was no longer even the religious leader in the house. The husbands and wives also attended church, prayed, and read the Bible together as part of the Protestant religion. This also helped women to have the ability to read things such as the Bible and other religious writings. Some girls’ schools were created, but they were mostly to teach manners and values rather than intellectual lessons. Many people were also opposed to the idea of women trying to become social or religious leaders. The Protestant Reformation did not really improve women’s status in society, and it really emphasized the male leadership.
The family in the Reformation was different than before. The Catholics and the Protestants were taught that families should have good relationships. Because Protestants didn’t have celibate clergy, or any monks, everyone was allowed to marry, making the family very important in their lives. There was a friendship aspect between many of these husbands and wives, but there was also the idea of the husband being over the servant wife. The wife’s role was also to bear children. Luther and Calvin did see this, not as a job, but also as a plan of God for families. The Protestants viewed the role of a mother as a glorious and sanctified one, saying that God had created this role as a holy and important position. Because the Protestants did not have monks, the women almost always stayed home and helped the family. Since the father was the ruler of the house, the woman was no longer even the religious leader in the house. The husbands and wives also attended church, prayed, and read the Bible together as part of the Protestant religion. This also helped women to have the ability to read things such as the Bible and other religious writings. Some girls’ schools were created, but they were mostly to teach manners and values rather than intellectual lessons. Many people were also opposed to the idea of women trying to become social or religious leaders. The Protestant Reformation did not really improve women’s status in society, and it really emphasized the male leadership.