In several circumstances the use of violence in favor of religion has helped a reform or the spread of the Gospel. Other times, millions of people died because of the resistance. Some situations require violence and others do not. However, there is a surefire way to determine whether or not violence should be used in the name of religion. The English Reformation and the Thirty Years' War, along with the St. Bartholomew's Eve incident, are just a few examples of how Christians used violence. on behalf of religion. Originally the English Reformation was purely political. The only reason Protestantism advanced was because it was aided by the political agenda of the time. However, since the English Reformation did not have a leading religious force like Calvin, Luther, or Zwingli, people had to step forward to demonstrate that they cared about their religion. This is an example where violence should be used to protect one's religion. When the government uses your religion for political power, it can easily throw it away when it feels like your religion no longer serves it. Once the government does this, the persecution of your religion (in this case Protestantism) will begin again. Right before the English Civil War, King Charles I persecuted the Puritans. In this situation Charles I did not have strong military power, so there was a good chance of winning a war if the Puritans decided to rebel. Furthermore, more importantly, since Charles I did not have strong religious beliefs, he would have had difficulty finding people to fight for him and support his cause. This circumstance between government and religion led the Puritans to prevail. Second, during the Thirty Years' War the reformers rebelled...... middle of paper......battles exceeded five million people. In conclusion, from the examples provided the use of violence in the name of religion seems to only work when a religion fights a governmental power. However, if you happen to find yourself in a situation where one religion is pitted against another, a more peaceful approach would most likely be more beneficial. In that case it would be wiser to try to convert someone who is in a higher position so that you have a better chance of converting the entire country. Otherwise, many casualties will be inflicted on your side, and the final results of all fights may not even end in your favor. Works Cited "The St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre | Christian History." The massacre of San Bartolomeo | Christian history. Network. March 14. 2014. .