Why did the Roman Catholic Church impose control over publishers and booksellers

Print Culture and Modern World (10)

Why did the Roman Catholic Church impose control over publishers and booksellers ?

Answer

Roman Catholic Church imposed control over publishers and booksellers: It was feared that if there was no control over what was printed and read then rebellious and irreligious thought might spread.

In 1517, the religious reformer Martin Luther wrote Ninety Five Theses criticising many of the practices and rituals of the Roman Catholic Church. A printed copy of this was posted on a church door in Wittenberg. It challenged the Church to debate his ideas. Luther’s writings were immediately reproduced in vast numbers and read widely. This lead to a division within the Church and to the beginning of the Protestant Reformation.

Exam Year: 2018