The Importance of the Renaissance to the Reformation in Germany

The Importance of the Renaissance to the Reformation in Germany

The reformation was a movement that fundamentally challenged the

authority of the Roman Catholic Church. The role of the clergy was

undermined and the relationships between national countries and the

Roman Catholic Church were threatened.

The renaissance began in Italy during the fifteenth and sixteenth

centuries through patronage and the flourishing society, and Rome

achieved cultural prominence. It later spread throughout Europe and

began a rediscovery of classical thoughts and influenced painters,

such as Raphael and Michelangelo, sculptors such as Donatello and

writers, such as Johann Reuchlin, Ulrich Von Hutten and Desiderius

Erasmus. The renaissance influenced the re-examination of ideas and

beliefs and created men who were willing to challenge basic beliefs of

the church. Humanism, the study of humanities, placed an emphasis on

man and his secular interests and the main influence of the

renaissance and humanism was a return to original texts. Writers such

as Reuchlin and Hutten, placed an emphasis on studying original texts

and encouraged literate men to study texts of he bible and make their

own interpretations, instead of those offered by the Roman Catholic

Church. Humanism also bought a desire for knowledge and the invention

of the printing press in c.1450 made mass publication and circulation

of literature, and notably made the translation and dissemination of

bibles possible. This meant that lay people could now read the bible,

understand it and make their own judgement upon the Catholic beliefs.

This was important to the reformation as it not only bought ...

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government, Maximilian was not successful in doing so. This was partly

due to other estates, which did not want to weaken their own power by

strengthening his. Indeed, the territorial estates claimed to have

responsibility for their subject's interests and defended their rights

and privileges.

By 1560 Europe had dramatically and fundamentally changed, the

renaissance had a tremendous impact upon the way in which men thought

and challenged beliefs. Although, Luther had expressed his opinions

and ideas about the Roman Catholic Church, Luther was not accountable

for the reformation. Without support from critical figures, such as

the princes and favourable conditions at the time, such as the

increasing nationalism in Germany, Luther's ideas would not have

caused such turmoil for the Roman Catholic Church.