European countries went through a great amount of changes during the 1500 and 1800. In countries such as Western Europe, England, France, Germany, and the Netherlands, economic developments were very noticeable. (508) With a growing population, Europe was introduced to new foods and the most popular being the potato, which during this time had the pleasure as being seen as an aphrodisiac. (508) Although some diseases continued to spread, some of the better-nourished populations were able to resist the spread of most diseases. The last outbreak occurred in London in 1660, and by the mid 1720s diseases were as non-existing.
Natural resources became available to merchants in Europe. European entrepreneurs had to find new ways to manufactured goods, which was encouraged by capitalism. The English parliament had to share authority with rulers and in other areas, based on Divine Theory, which states King’s authority came from God, monarchs ruled. This theory also states that to disobey the King was to disobey God. (511)
Math and science played a major part in the scientific revolution. These traditions were based in Greek mathematics and had been carried on by scientist in Muslim lands such as Nasir al-Din in the 13th century. The greatest scientist of this era was Isaac Newton during 1642-1727 an English mathematician who created modern fields of science. He discovered mathematical laws for gravity and made discoveries of light.
Natural laws of politics were discovered by English philosopher John Locke (516).
The Essay on Islam in Bed with Europe in “My Son the Fanatic”
My Son the Fanatic is a film that addresses the cultural conflict of both Islamic integration in into Europe and English culture, as well as the relationship that arises between a father and his Muslim son when the child grows up to become an Islamic fundamentalist. (Udayan Prasad, 1997, England; screenplay by Hanif Kureishi) A Pakistani cab driver in a Northern English town has an affair with a ...
He served as the bases for absolute monarchy and attacked the divine right theories. He believes that people are a product of their environment. This weakened the influence of organized religion (519).
In medieval Europe, the Catholic Church was very influential as they defined many different aspects of society, such as art, politics, and science. During 1450 to 1750 what power the church had began to go away, and scientist began to challenge the church and the political power of the Pope became compromised because the kings were given more power by the government. This led to the Protestant Reformation led by Martin Luther who believed the church was flawed.
Martin Luther, a German monk became greatly dismayed by the hypocrisy and immortality of the Roman Catholic Church and attached the practice of selling gratification. This led to the religious unity of Western Europe being challenged (539).
In 1517 his Ninety‐Five Theses, spread greatly throughout Europe. While Luther asserted specific reforms, such as closing the monasteries and translating the Bible, his most drastic standpoint was his refusal to recognize papal authority (539).
To Luther the only true origin of Christian religious authority remained in the Bible. Other approaches that were sometimes very different from that of Martin Luther’s occurred outside of Germany.
Buddhists and Muslims took their religious traditions with them when they traveled overseas. (540) The main reason for their venture overseas was to spread Christianity. In Mexico and Peru, Christian missionaries ran into a great amount of friction but people still continued to examine their faith until the 17th century and beyond (540).
During the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, new technology and scientific discoveries sparked controversy about the states of the universe and questioned authority of the church. This discussion soon led to the Enlightenment of the eighteenth century, an intellectual change that heightened important questions about the status of humanity, religion, and political authority.
