after the protestant reformation both Catholics and Protestants persecuted each other. when did this practice stop
ChatGPT said:
The persecution between Catholics and Protestants after the Protestant Reformation (which began in 1517) persisted for several centuries, but it gradually diminished over time due to political, social, and philosophical changes. There is no single date when it definitively “stopped,” but here is a general timeline showing how and when the practice declined:
16th–17th Centuries: Intense Persecution
- France: The French Wars of Religion (1562–1598), including events like the St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre (1572), saw severe violence between Catholics and Huguenots (French Protestants).
- England: Protestants persecuted Catholics under Elizabeth I (e.g., recusancy laws), while under Mary I (1553–1558), many Protestants were executed.
- Spain & Italy: The Inquisition targeted Protestants.
- Holy Roman Empire: The Thirty Years’ War (1618–1648) was driven in part by Catholic-Protestant conflict.
1648: Peace of Westphalia
- Marked a turning point. It ended the Thirty Years’ War and established the principle of cuius regio, eius religio (the ruler’s religion determines the state religion), allowing some religious tolerance within the Holy Roman Empire.
18th Century: Enlightenment Begins to Erode Religious Intolerance
- Enlightenment thinkers promoted religious tolerance and separation of church and state.
- In practice, laws against religious minorities often remained, but active persecution decreased significantly in most Western European countries.
19th Century: Legal Emancipation
- Most European countries began to legally recognize minority Christian groups.
- Example: The Catholic Emancipation Act (1829) in the UK allowed Catholics to sit in Parliament.
- Religious persecution gave way to discrimination and social prejudice, but not systematic violence.
20th Century: Modern Religious Freedom
- Most Western democracies had by then enshrined freedom of religion in law.
- The Second Vatican Council (1962–1965) explicitly called for religious liberty and ended much of the official Catholic hostility toward Protestants.
- Interfaith dialogue became common.
Summary:
- Active persecution (imprisonment, execution, forced conversion): largely ended by the late 17th to early 18th century.
- Legal discrimination: faded during the 19th century.
- Widespread religious tolerance: became standard by the 20th century, especially post-WWII.
Let me know if you’d like a region-specific overview or more detail on a particular period.
You said:
what was persecution like in Russia, and when did it end — if it did
ChatGPT said:
Persecution of Christians in Russia—especially between different branches of Christianity—has a long and complex history. Unlike in Western Europe, the primary religious conflict in Russia was Orthodox vs. non-Orthodox (rather than Catholic vs. Protestant). Here’s an overview:
Main Forms of Religious Persecution in Russia:
1. Russian Orthodox vs. Old Believers (17th century onward)
- In the 1650s, Patriarch Nikon reformed the Russian Orthodox Church to align more closely with Greek Orthodox practices.
- Those who rejected the reforms (the Old Believers) were declared heretics.
- Persecution included:
- Executions, exile, torture, and burning at the stake.
- Forced conversions or harsh taxes for dissenters.
- Eased: Persecution gradually declined in the 18th century, especially under Catherine the Great (late 1700s), who promoted relative religious tolerance.
2. Russian Orthodox vs. Catholics and Protestants
- After the partitions of Poland (late 18th century), Russia acquired large Catholic populations.
- Catholics, especially Poles, were often seen as political threats and were persecuted, exiled, or denied full rights.
- Protestants, such as Lutherans in the Baltic region or German settlers, were sometimes tolerated, but under tight control.
3. Persecution under the Russian Empire (Tsarist era)
- The Russian Orthodox Church was the state church.
- Other Christian denominations were restricted, and conversion away from Orthodoxy was illegal.
- Non-Orthodox Christians faced:
- Limited rights (in property, public service, and worship).
- Surveillance and sometimes forced conversions.
- Exile (especially under Nicholas I in the 19th century).
Persecution Under the Soviet Union (1917–1991)
After the Bolshevik Revolution:
- All religions were persecuted under the official atheist policies of the Communist state.
- Orthodox, Catholic, Protestant, Baptist, and others suffered:
- Church closures.
- Execution or imprisonment of clergy.
- Destruction of religious literature and buildings.
- Surveillance and infiltration by the KGB.
- Even the Russian Orthodox Church, though eventually co-opted by the state, suffered harsh repression, especially in the 1920s–30s and again under Khrushchev (1950s–60s).
When Did It End?
1. Relaxation Begins – 1980s
- Under Mikhail Gorbachev’s reforms (Perestroika/Glasnost), some religious freedoms were restored.
2. Fall of the Soviet Union – 1991
- Marked the official end of systematic state persecution of religion.
- Religious freedom was recognized in law, and many churches reopened.
- The Russian Orthodox Church re-emerged as a major cultural force.
But Has It Truly Ended?
Not entirely.
- While outright persecution has largely ended, religious discrimination and state favoritism still exist.
- The Russian Orthodox Church is strongly favored by the government.
- Evangelical Protestants, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and some Catholic groups continue to face:
- Surveillance.
- Restrictions on missionary activity.
- Labeling as “foreign agents” or “extremist groups” (e.g., Jehovah’s Witnesses were banned in 2017).
Summary:
| Period | Main Form of Persecution | Ended? |
|---|---|---|
| 17th–19th c. | Orthodox vs. Old Believers & Catholics | Declined in 1800s |
| Tsarist Empire | Non-Orthodox restrictions | Faded by early 20th c. |
| Soviet Era (1917–1991) | Widespread religious persecution | Ended officially in 1991 |
| Modern Russia | Selective discrimination | Ongoing in limited form |
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