Key Figures and Events in Religious History

Saint Teresa of Ávila

Saint Teresa was born in Ávila in 1515. Her father, Alonso Sánchez Cepeda, and her mother, Beatriz de Ahumada, were noble Castilians. She was the 6th of 12 siblings. Her father sent her to the convent of the Augustinian nuns in Ávila. Her brother Rodrigo and she had a special sensitivity to loneliness and prayer. At age 20, she ran away to join the Carmelite convent of the Incarnation. A year later, she made her religious vows. Shortly after, she had a serious illness that almost led her to death. She was bedridden for almost 3 years and lost the movement of her hand during that time. After this period, she regained her health. With the economic aid of her brothers, she founded the convent of Saint Joseph in 1562. Teresa conducted a renewal of the Carmelite order. They became known as Discalced Carmelites because they wore sandals instead of shoes. Teresa tirelessly toured Spain, founding new convents. She had a friendship with Saint John of the Cross, with whom she founded the Discalced Carmelites. She died on October 4, 1582. She was canonized in 1622 and declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Paul VI in 1970.

Luther and the Protestant Reformation

Martin Luther (1483-1546) was one of the protagonists of the religious and political events of the 16th century. He defended that no one can buy grace and salvation with money; only God gives it freely. In 1517, he fixed his 95 theses against indulgences on the door of the Wittenberg castle. When he did not retract, he was excommunicated by the Pope in 1521. A period of his life began with manifestos and writings in which he laid out his doctrine and expressed his opposition to the Church of Rome. He defended that:

• "Every person, not the church, is the sole interpreter of Scripture."
• "The only thing that saves is faith in God, not good works."
• "The cult of saints and the Virgin and indulgences are to be suppressed."
• "Only two sacraments are valid: baptism and the Eucharist."
• "The hierarchy has no power in the Church."

The Inquisition

The Inquisition was born when civil and religious power assisted in the search for heretics. In 1231, Gregory IX established the Court of the Inquisition, which reported directly to the Pope and was entrusted to the Dominicans. In Spain, the Inquisition persecuted Jews who had falsely converted. They were accepted into the Church through baptism for convenience but continued to practice their religion. The Inquisition questioned defendants through torture. The sentences were sometimes very diverse. The civil authorities supported these intolerant actions because they also served their purposes.

The Expulsion of the Jews in Spain

The rejection of the Jews was manifested at the end of the Middle Ages. They were considered responsible for the death of Christ. They lived especially in Jewish quarters grouped in Castile. The prosperity reached by Jewish communities contributed to this rejection. The Jews were persecuted by the Inquisition, which saw in them a threat to the Catholic faith. Discriminatory measures were applied, and they were also banned from exercising certain professions. Finally, they were expelled from Spain by Ferdinand and Isabella in 1492.

Brother Roger and the Taizé Community

Taizé is a village in east-central France. There is a monastic community founded by Brother Roger. In August 1940, at the age of 25, Roger Schutz moved to Taizé. He was born in Switzerland in 1915. In Taizé, he prepared to create a community where it was possible to implement reconciliation every day. He wanted to realize this project in a region devastated by World War II. He hid many refugees in his home. In 1949, seven brothers committed to living together for a lifetime and keeping celibacy. As the community grew, it extended along five continents. The brothers belong to various Christian denominations and come from 25 different countries.

God is a Good Father

"God is a Father who loves us deeply." "God is a Father who is near." "God is a Father who respects the freedom of his children." "God is a Father whose only desire is to share love with his children." "God is a Father who longs for his children to return." "God is a Father who hurts from separation from his children." "God is a Father who wants his children to live as brothers."