The Reformation was a period of much social unrest. Whilst there existed a physical struggle evident upon the surface, underneath lie an intense philosophical and religious debate that served to test and question the values of Catholicism and the reasons for the need for change argued by the Protestant. The Reformation movement challenged the Catholic belief system. It argued against the praising and worshipping of icons and other such relics and argued that all praise and worship should be reserved for the Word of God and God alone. However, there is evidence to suggest that early Protestants felt a need for the reassurance offered by such icons and further, it has been argued, that the Protestant Reformers, in attempting to destroy ritual, actually served to strengthen Catholic belief in same. The irony is, in that attempting to destroy such rituals, the movement actually served to embody ritual elements. The methods by which it attempted to destroy ritual, can actually be interpreted as being ritualistic in and of themselves.

The difference between Catholic and Protestant ritual is one of degree and not kind. The beliefs are very much the same. The differences lie in the fact that Protestantism has attempted to capture and contain the 'spiritual'. Catholicism allows for a variety of spiritual presence's, Protestantism does not30. Clearly, Protestantism did not abandon the fundamental sacraments and basic forms of ritual. However, even within the Reformation's attempted de-sacrilization of Christianity and ritual, even within this process, evidence of ritual can be found. The Reformers developed their own form of ritual within their acts of desecration. The Reformation can itself be described as a ritual process31.

"While round the church still growing evils fester"17.

Martin Luther: The Freedom of a Christian

Baptism is the first Christian Sacrament. It is believed that the sacrament of baptism serves to incorporate the newly born child into the community and church and further to redeem the child from original sin, that is, his/her conception8. Radical Reformists such as Andreas Karlstadt argued that reserving the rite of baptism for newly born children was a contradiction. Karlstadt questioned: how is it that a child has the need to be baptized when the same child has no ability to comprehend sin nor is that child able to formulate the mal-intent necessary to perform a sinful act? Further the radical Reformists again relied upon the words of the Bible and argued that nowhere in the Bible was it specified that children should be baptized. Furthermore, Jesus himself was a mature adult when baptized9. For the Reformist Baptism had little to do with blessed water and much more to do with God's Word. It was not in the actions of dipping the individual in Holy Water that served to grant the forgiveness of sins, redemption from death and eternal salvation, but rather the power of the words of God combined with such water. As Martin Luther articulates it; "Water doesn't make these things happen, of course. It is God's Word . . . Because, without God's Word, the water is plain water and not baptism"10. Thus, for the Reformer, whilst water was a significant aspect of the sacrament of Baptism, the sacrament as a rite of passage could not be performed without an understanding, an appreciation of and a belief in the promises made by Jesus in the Bible.

The Reformists attempted to shift the focus of the Eucharistic Rite from being a physical rite to a wholly spiritual and intellectual experience. It was not in the taking and digesting of the bread that was the primary focus and offered God's blessing, but rather the full understanding and comprehension of the Word's used that were central and fundamental to the sacrament.

Some common words found in the essay are:
Reformation Movement, Catholic Protestant, Protestant Reformer, God's Word, Orthodox Eucharist, Word God, Catholic Orthodox, Andreas Karlstadt, Martin Luther', , protestant reformer, martin luther, word god, reformation movement, god's word, 1997 pp, destroy ritual, body christ, sacrament baptism, catechism martin, 1994 http//wwwiclnetorg/pub/resource , robert smith 10, translated robert smith, 10 june 1994, june 1994 http//wwwiclnetorg/pub/resource,
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Approximate Pages = 11 (250 words per page double spaced)