Dualling Reformations of the 16th Century

The 16th Century was rife with Reformation. The difference the between the English and German Reformation was the motivation for change.  One was driven by faith and the other by politics. 

Meanwhile, the Catholic Church had its own reformation movement. We learn of St. Francis Xavier’s missionary work in his 1543 Letter from India, to the Society of Jesus at Rome. Xavier spent time working with men to translate his language to spread Christianity.  He traveled from village to village finding that children were more eager to learn and enforce the gospel.  He encountered a different religious group called the Brahims.  They worshipped idols and encouraged the wicked.    

Just a few years earlier, Ignatius Loyola wrote his Spiritual Exercises. The Spiritual Exercises arepractices of kindness and worship.  They are not extreme or unreasonable. Ignatius was concerned about careless discussion of faith and good works. He felt that careless discussion about predestination and faith would lead to mistakes, laziness, and lack of effort in charity and good works.