Teleios Research evaluated societal measures that might have influenced wellbeing in the European Catholic states converting to Protestantism during the Reformation. Teleios tested the hypothesis that living in a more biblically based society improved potential measures for wellbeing. Teleios used Wikipedia as source material for 29 European territories between the years 1323-1772. We used a modified P value because of the multiple tests used in the analysis (P<0.017).

We found that religious tolerance increased following conversion to a Protestant country or duchy (P<0.0001). Further, the Bible became available in the vernacular language in each case where it previously was limited to the Latin vulgate (P<0.0001).

However, there was no difference in the church’s authority over secular affairs as frequently power was shared between the state and religious organization (P=0.49). Further, no differences in the extent of land managed by the church changed after the Reformation (P=0.337).

Further, we found just a borderline increase in the number of restrictions on countries’ leaders (P =0.048). In addition, there was no difference in the existence of a bureaucracy to support the government (P=1.00), the existence of diplomacy (P=0.42) or voting rights (P=0.45).

However, there was reduced influence of the church’s influence in provoking war after a state became Protestant (P=0.001)

Further, both for primary and secondary education became much more prevalent following conversion to Protestantism education (P=0.001 and P=0.015 respectively).

Dr. William C, Stewart, co-founder of Teleios, commented “These compelling data indicate that countries and duchies in Europe that converted to Protestantism from Catholicism during the Reformation provided additional benefits to their society that may have improved wellbeing and enhanced the progression of these countries generally to our modern free societies.”

He added, “The great freedoms available in the first world today, as shown by this and other Teleios research, may potentially be related to biblically based concepts recognizing the importance of the individual as well as the government’s responsibility to God to create an honest and orderly environment.”

This study suggests that countries and duchies in Europe that converted to Protestantism from Catholicism during the Reformation provided additional benefits to their society that may have improved wellbeing, including greater religious and educational freedom.

More research is needed to better describe the benefits of Christian based society and freedom on personal wellbeing.

WC Stewart, SA Sanders, JA Stewart, LA Nelson