KARACHI: The Reformation movement of the 16th century in Germany caused unification of the German language, the adoption of religious education for individuals by means of general access to the Bible, and the development of the concept of tolerance in society.

This was said by Prof Dr Gury Schneider-Ludorff while concluding her lecture on `The Reformation and its effects on culture and politics in Europe` atthePakistanInstituteofInternational Affairs on Wednesday.

Dr Ludorff, who holds the Chair of Church History at the Augustana University in Neuendettelsau, divided the main part of her talk into three chapters. The Erst one focused on the man who was closely linked to the Reformation, Martin Luther (14831546);the second on the receptionoftheReformation particularly with reference to the media; and third on the consequences of the Reformation.

Dr Ludorff said what we called the Reformation was a stage in European history in the 16th century which led to a fundamental change in the basis of sociology, politics, culture and in the foundations of religion. It is first of all associated with the person of Martin Luther. According to his parents, Luther should have been a lawyer but he decided to become a monk. He also studied theology in depth at a university. It was his ideas published in 1520 as a document titled To the Christian Nobility of the German Nation (known as Nobility tracts) concerning the reform of the Christian state that drew attention to him. This had a seismic effect, shaking the foundations of the late medieval society. The document was addressed to the emperor, Charles V, and the nobility of the empire. It called for reform in all areas of the church and society. Luther used the word `walls` which the papacy had erected around it to protect itself.

On the second chapter Dr Ludorff said the reasonforthe quick spreadingof the Reformation in the 16th century was that people of all segments of society took to his ideas -not just the theologians but the writers, tradesmen, middle-class women and men, protestant princes and princesses etc. Theywere stimulated by Luther`s Nobility tracts, because now they could read the Bible themselves. It had become possible because Luther had translated the Bible into German which later became the official language of Germany, as prior to that there were many dialects of the language.

Another reason was the media revolution, thanks to the invention of book printing in the 15th century. It also created an extremely rapid impetus for girls` education. The church was no longer in charge of the schools.

Dr Ludorff mentioned another Lutheran reformer Philip Melanchthon who did a great deal for educational reforms, and was an advocate for humanist education. This had an effect on art, architecture, music and literature recommended by secular authorities the arts flourished in the Reformation.

Speaking on the third chapter Dr Ludorff highlighted the cultural and political situation of the movement in Europe resulting from the development of different denominations. Not all towns and princes supported Luther`s ideas. Europe was divided in differentdenominations. In Germany territories faithful to the pope, called the old believers, were separated from those who had adopted the new teachings they waged wars against one another.

Religious convictions and political power games played a role in that. But at the same time different groups (Catholics and Protestants, for example) found common ground in the arts.

Dr Ludorff at this point mentioned the three cultural skills that Europe acquired from the movement: 1) They learned to live together; 2) They had to 1(now one another better; 3) The long struggle for freedom contributed to the idea of tolerance. She said today in Germany religion and state were separated, but the state protected the religious communities.

In conclusion, Dr Ludorff underlined five points that defined the Reformation.

They were: the unification of the German language, the adoption of religious education for people by means of general access to the Bible, the initiatives for education on a broader scale, the impulses of new styles in art, and the concept of tolerance.