Would they have happened if he hadn't?

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman: I have updated Islam. We can celebrate New Year's... This claim spread quickly in the media. Many outlets carried these words, which were alleged to belong to Salman, in their headlines.

Crown Prince Salman, the most powerful leader of recent times, has, as is known, embarked on a series of reforms in Saudi Arabia.

He is seeking Europe's Renaissance.

He is also closely watching modern Turkey.

The whole world is watching him too.

In the near future, he reportedly wants to spread the success they have achieved in the Gulf Region to the entire geography.

Permission has even been granted for decorating trees for Christmas and New Year's, which is still not looked upon favorably by some circles here.

King Salman says he has given instructions to religious scholars.

The Ulema have removed Pagan and dogmatic practices from sermons.

He has declared, leaving no room for any question marks, that they will adapt to the civilized world.

Is his job easy?

Certainly not.

Even if he is the Crown Prince, it is certain that he will encounter resistance.

Especially his desire to be the Atatürk of Saudi Arabia could draw dark clouds over him.

Following Atatürk is certainly something to be proud of, but whether he has the intellectual background and the team to carry out Atatürk's revolutions remains unclear.

I thought I would make a theological and historical comparison for the Saudi geography, but my knowledge was not sufficient.

Since it is difficult to read, learn, and analyze, I decided to take the shortcut and 'get help from ChatGPT'.

I asked Artificial Intelligence the question that has been on my mind for a while.

If Luther hadn't existed, what would Europe and the Christian world be like?

Would the reforms have happened?

The answer!

If Luther had never appeared, the Christian world would most likely have experienced a rupture again with “the same problems, but later and with different actors” — but the current map of Protestantism, the political balances of Europe, and even the modern religion-state relationship would likely have been quite different.

1) Would the Reformation have happened anyway?

Probably yes, because there were some structural tensions that had accumulated in the 1500s:

Indulgence/absolution debates, church revenues, and the perception of corruption

Power struggles between the Papacy and local kings/princes

The “culture of access to religious texts and criticism” accelerated by the printing press

The desire for the Bible to be translated into local languages

But without Luther, the Reformation:

could have started later,

could have remained more regional,

or could have progressed more as a “reform from within the Church.”

2) Would Protestantism have spread as it did today?

Luther's influence was not just theology; he had the power to “light the fuse”: he massified the debate, linked it to politics, and gave an ideological tool to the principalities in Germany.

Without him:

The major rupture centered in Germany could have been delayed or remained weaker.

Protestant movements could have developed in a more fragmented (city-by-city) manner.

Since there would be no main current called “Lutheranism,” the religious identity of Northern Europe could have been shaped differently.

3) Would the Catholic Church have been stronger?

In the short term, yes:

Rome's authority would have been shaken less, and the image of religious unity in Europe could have been preserved for a while longer.

But in the long run, the Church would most likely have had to reform anyway:

Even in the absence of Luther, the pressure for correction/renewal (more disciplined education, curbing certain abuses) would have increased in the Catholic world.

These reforms could have come from the top and been more controlled; “internal reform” rather than a rupture could have prevailed.

4) How would European politics and wars have changed?

Because Luther's Reformation accelerated religious division in Europe:

The form and timing of religious wars (e.g., conflicts between German principalities, later expanding bloc formations) could have changed.

Some major conflicts could have erupted later or been experienced with different alliances.

Issues such as “the control of princes over church property and authority” could have come to the agenda even with another reformist figure — but it might not have produced legitimacy as quickly and broadly as Luther did.

5) Language, education, and the emphasis on “individual faith”

Luther's Bible translation and the language of his sermons were influential in the standardization of German, literacy, and education.

Without him:

The spread of religious texts into local languages could have been slower,

The culture of literacy/mass religious debate could have strengthened later,

The idea of “the individual's conscience, direct relationship with the text” could have remained more limited (it would not have disappeared entirely, but its spread could have been delayed).

6) Most likely “alternative history” scenarios

1. The Reformation comes under a different name (later, perhaps more radical or more local).

2. Catholic internal reform becomes stronger; “controlled renewal” prevails instead of a rupture.

3. Political ruptures occur even without the guise of religion, but religious division might not have become as sharp.