Renaissance / Reformation movement (1517)

Renaissance

The cultural shift known as the Renaissance (which emerged in Italy, then spread across Western
Europe) can be defined as "the full revival of humanism". The term humanism denotes "an outlook
that emphasizes human capabilities and concerns"; the two most visible consequences of this outlook
are secular appreciation (i.e. appreciation for humans and the human world) and critical thought.

Forced by humanism, Renaissance scholars sought to revive the study of classical literature, as well as to
create new literature in the spirit of the classics. Renaissance authors embraced humanism by adding a
measure of realism (physical, social, emotional) into the characters, plots, and settings of this new literature,
distinguishing it from medieval work (which lacked such realism). Though some new creative writing was
produced in Latin, the dominance of vernacular languages (which had been established by medieval
writers) would not be displaced.

While the Renaissance took place mainly within the period ca. 1400-1600, the roots of the movement
lie in the fourteenth century. This is especially true of literature, the earliest field of Renaissance
endeavor. Thus, in discussion of literary history, it is convenient to define the span of the
Renaissance as 1300-1600. (Alternatively, the period ca. 1300-1400 can be described as a transitional
"pre-Renaissance".)

The Renaissance overlaps with most of the Reformation, in which much of northern Europe was
converted to Protestantism. Since Protestantism emphasizes salvation through individual faith (as
opposed to relying on clergy as intermediaries), its believers were encouraged to become literate and
personally read the Bible. Rates of literacy improved, and the Bible was translated into many
vernacular languages (including a German translation by Luther).

A list of some of the most influential people in the Protestant Reformation. The Protestant
Reformation refers to the period in the 15th Century, when some Christians broke away from the
Roman Catholic Church, beginning new Protestant movements. These new religious movements
tended to stress the importance of the Bible and believed that Salvation could be gained directly from
God and not through the intermediation of a Priest.
The world of the late medieval Roman Catholic Church from which the 16th-century reformers emerged
was a complex one. Over the centuries the church, particularly in the office of the papacy, had become
deeply involved in the political life of Western Europe. The resulting intrigues and political manipulations,
combined with the church’s increasing power and wealth, contributed to the bankrupting of the church as a
spiritual force. Abuses such as the sale of indulgences (or spiritual privileges) by the clergy and other
charges of corruption undermined the church’s spiritual authority. These instances must be seen as
exceptions, however, no matter how much they were played up by activists. For most people, the church
continued to offer spiritual comfort. There is some evidence of anticlericalism, but the church at large
enjoyed loyalty as it had before. One development is clear: the political authorities increasingly sought to
restrict the public role of the church and thereby triggered tension. The Bible was translated from Latin into
vernacular languages across Europe.
King Henry VIII (1491-1547) ruled England for 36 years, presiding over sweeping changes that
brought his nation into the Protestant Reformation. He famously married a series of six wives in his
search for political alliance, marital bliss and a healthy male heir. Henry VIII split the Church of
England from Rome, leading to the rise of Protestantism in England. He dissolved the monasteries
and reduced the power of the church.
In England the Reformation’s roots were both political and religious. Henry VIII, incensed by Pope
Clement VII’s refusal to grant him an annulment of his marriage, repudiated papal authority and in
1534 established the Anglican Church with the king as the supreme head.
John Wycliffe (1330-1384) translated some of the first versions of Bible into English. Wycliffe was
an early critic of the Papacy and clerical power. He placed greater emphasis on scripture, advocating
Bible-centered Christianity. His followers were known as Lollards and were precursors to Martin
Luther.
William Tyndale (1494–1536) was one of the first people to print the Bible in English. He worked
on translating the Bible into English even when it was deemed to be an illegal act. He was executed
for blasphemy after years of avoiding capture. His English Bible was ironically then taken up by
Henry VIII after he broke from the Roman Catholic Church.
Anne Boleyn (1501-1536) 2nd wife of Henry VIII. Anne Boleyn was influential in forcing Henry
VIII to break with Rome and set up the Church of England. Anne Boleyn refused to be Henry’s
mistress – only Queen. She was crowned Queen in 1533, but after failing to produce a male heir,
Boleyn was executed in 1536.
Martin Luther (1483 – 1546) was the most influential figure of the Reformation. Luther’s ninety
five thesis represented the symbolic start of the Protestant Reformation in 1517.
The Reformation of the 16th century was not unprecedented. Reformers within the medieval church
addressed aspects in the life of the church in the centuries before 1517.
Martin Luther claimed that what distinguished him from previous reformers was that while they
attacked corruption in the life of the church, he went to the theological root of the problem.
In his Ninety-five Theses, he attacked the indulgence (pardon, absolution) system