Early Monastic Buddhism v2.c24.4

v2.c24.4

The social impact of the Reformation was equally profound. It fostered a new emphasis on literacy and education, as the ability to read the Bible in the vernacular became essential for the individual’s salvation. It also challenged traditional gender roles, as the rejection of monasticism and the elevation of marriage as a holy estate redefined the domestic sphere. Yet, the Reformation also brought with it periods of intense conflict, as religious differences became the pretext for wars that devastated large swathes of Europe, leaving a legacy of division that would persist for centuries.