The Relationship Between the Renaissance and the Protestant Reformation

In history books, the Renaissance is discussed primarily to note a period where art flourished, the study of classics prospered, and the invention of the printing press was a major technological advance. However, the Renaissance made a greater impact on the world than just in art, education, and technological advances; the renaissance was a rebirth that was encouraged by the studying of classical texts that helped changed personal views of oneself and the world. The Renaissance and the Protestant Reformation can be tied together because the Renaissance triggered a new flow of ideas, and with the printing press facilitating the spread of these ideas, people began to question their faith in the Catholic Church ultimately leading to the Protestant Reformation.

The Renaissance raised questions about the path to salvation by instigating new ideas, particularly the belief in individualism, which was the conviction that there is human ability to choose between right and wrong. The Catholic church, vehemently pushed the idea that salvation would only be found within the church, but when a Christian monk named Martin Luther interpreted a bible passage stating "just shall live by his faith" to mean that faith alone would save their souls he began to challenge the church.