Religion & Politics

  
The Renaissance was a time period that experienced a multitude of change; from religious reformations to political changes, the Renaissance period truly was a time of rebirth for Europe. Religious reformation was seen massively in England’s political system; King Henry VIII was born a Catholic, but his desire for a male heir prompted him to divorce his first wife, requiring a split from the Pope. The Act of Supremacy, passed in 1534, separated the King and Pope’s positions in England; an oath was required to solidify Henry’s relationship with his second wife, Anne Boleyn, so it was seen as legitimate. England's monarchs continuously shifted the religions they practiced post-Henry VIII's reign of power, impacting politics.¹¹ Political power in Italy, specifically Florence and Tuscany, consisted of being controlled by a wealthy merchant family, the Medici’s, for a very long time in the Renaissance. The Medici’s wanted to have wise citizens, ensuring they knew the importance of learning and literature, known as philology. The Medici’s also commissioned several artists to do work in Italy, many of which had religious undertones.¹² A famous political figure, Niccolò Machiavelli, lost all his political power in Florence, when said Medici family took over again in the 1510s. Machiavelli wrote the famous Renaissance book, The Prince, which became important during the Reformation. Machiavelli and his relation to politics, and its subsequent relation to religion, is displayed through his “uses [of] biblical, pagan, and Christian forms of religious symbols”.¹³ Machiavelli’s “teaching (‘new ways and methods’) is compared to Christ’s message”.¹⁴ Religion and inspiration from religion was still prominent among political figures and influences in the Renaissance, even as ideologies were changing. Religious figures, such as Pope Julius II, a political presence, often commissioned artists, such as Michelangelo, to work on the Sistine Chapel, and other religious buildings; they blended religion, politics and art together.¹⁵ Religion in politics experienced a large change during the Renaissance; while politics was still largely oriented around religion in many European countries, humanist views and the appreciation for science, technology and philosophy began slowly breaking away the incessant need for religion in law in other countries. The “largest political changes during that period [was] the segregation of politics from Christianity. Religion was no longer seen as part of governance and authority. Government and politics were affected by humanism”.¹⁶

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¹¹ Bernard, G.W. “The King’s Reformation: Henry VIII and the Remaking of the English Church.” New Haven: Yale University Press, 2007, (accessed March 10, 2020). https://books.google.ca/books?hl=en&lr=&id=HOiXAhKkTNEC&oi=fnd&pg=PP11&dq=act+of+supremacy+henry+viii&ots=dtfnzYbUcM&sig=WkRW34UPfx7QdJUr90APUxFXo94#v=onepage&q=act%20of%20supremacy%20henry%20viii&f=false
¹² The School of Life, “HISTORY OF IDEAS – The Renaissance.” YouTube Video, 17:44. November 6, 2015, (accessed March 6, 2020). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fI1OeMmwYjU
¹³ Fontana, Benedetto. “Love of Country and Love of God: The Political Uses of Religion in Machiavelli.” University of Pennsylvania Press, 1999, (accessed March 10, 2020). https://www.jstor.org/stable/3654112?read-now=1&seq=3#page_scan_tab_contents
¹⁴ Ibid.
¹⁵ Withnell, Stephen. “The Staggering Artistic Legacy of Pope Julius II.” Catholic Herald, February 14, 2020. https://catholicherald.co.uk/the-staggering-artistic-legacy-of-pope-julius-ii/.
¹⁶ Hood, Sherrie. “Renaissance and Political System.” Arts Columbia, September 13, 2018. https://artscolumbia.org/art-history/post-classical/renaissance/renaissance-and-political-system-20684/.