Views Regarding the Fate of the Unevangelized During the Reformation Era

The matter of the fate of the unevangelized drew a great deal of attention during the Reformation era, due to the fact that it followed closely on the heels of the founding of the New World by Europeans. Here was an entire continent, populated by civilizations that gave no real evidence of having ever been evangelized. The question of the possibility of salvation for the unevangelized was thus discussed by both Roman Catholics and Protestants, during and after the Reformation. This paper will present the views of both Roman Catholics and Protestants during this era.