Church Politics: Progressives vs. Conservatives

One of the claims by the Progressives is that Conservatives are ignorant. We take the Bible too seriously. Its also something they take pot shots at the church in the developing world like Africa. "They're backward right now. Wait until they learn and then they will be like us"

What do you suppose the Catholic Church thought of those "foolish" reformers throwing away 1000 years of Church tradition to go back to the basics? Before they started setting them on fire and all the other fun stuff that was done back then.

I imagine a civil questioning would have went something like "Why on why would you want to go back to that primitive church? And use the book that we have outgrown? Look at the great wealth we have that can be used for the splender of God. And people should be happy and indulgences give them peace of mind for themselves and loved ones."

Of course I doubt such an encounter occurred. What with them killing each other and trying to kill.

But doesn't that sound like progressives today? Just replace indulgences with something else.