The Reformation Research Paper

The Reformation was a significant historical event that occurred in 16th century Europe. This split the Catholic church and changed christianity forever. Without multiple aiding factors provided by the Renaissance this religious movement may not have happened. The Renaissance prepared the way for the Reformation through expansion of the european commercial empire, the invention of the printing press, and the christian humanist movement.

The expansion of the european empire made great social change and created a feeling of injustice in many people. This economic jump created three social classes: patricians, shopkeepers and artisans, and propertyless workers and unemployed. The patricians were at the top of this social structure; their wealth came from capitalistic enterprises in trade, industry, and banking. This helped them dominate urban communities economically, socially, and politically. In the middle of this structure sat the “petty” artisans and shopkeepers. Their goal concerned providing goods and services for

The goal of this movement was to reform christianity. Christian humanists believed in the ability of human beings to reason and improve themselves. They thought because of this that through education in the sources of Classical and christian antiquity, they could instill and an inner piety and religious feeling that would bring about reform of the church and society. Their philosophy was that in order to change society they must change the humans that compose it. Influential humanist Desiderius Erasmus emphasized inner piety and de-emphasized external forms of religion. He also provided enlightened education in the sources of early christianity, and criticized abuses in the church. No doubt that this movement and Erasmus’s work prepared people for the