Answer :
Final answer:
The Protestant Reformation and subsequent religious wars in Europe generally strengthened b. the authority of secular state rulers. The Catholic Church's authority was eroded as secular rulers gained the right to choose their lands' dominant religion, leading to a significant shift in religious power.
Explanation:
The Protestant Reformation, which started in 1517, led to significant changes in religious authority across Europe. The correct answer to the question is: b. the authority of secular state rulers was generally strengthened.
Prior to the Reformation, religious authority largely rested with the Catholic Church, whose influence pervaded numerous aspects of life in Western and Central Europe.
However, criticisms over the perceived excesses of the Church, coupled with the emergence of Protestantism under figures such as Martin Luther and John Calvin, led to profound religious divisions across Europe.
These divisions were fought over in a series of religious wars that spanned the 16th and 17th centuries.
As a consequence, rather than religious authority being concentrated in the Catholic Church, it gradually shifted towards secular rulers who were able to choose the dominant religion in their lands (Cuius regio, eius religio) following the Peace of Westphalia in 1648.
This marked a significant increase in the authority and autonomy of secular rulers across Europe.
Nevertheless, it should be noted that this didn't translate into complete freedom of religious choice for individuals, nor were the traditional Christian religious authorities necessarily empowered as a result of the religious wars.
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