Compare And Contrast The Renaissance And Reformation

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The Renaissance and Reformation period is significantly marked by three very influential and powerful groups with their own unique beliefs. The world in which we know today still shows signs of the affects each one produced. The Reformation, Renaissance, and the Roman Catholic Church were propelled by many during this time in history. However, one key factor drove them all to be in conflict with one another – the ultimate authority of the church. This period held religion high and whoever ruled the church ruled most things. This reality was due to the Catholic Church and the Pope; they had established themselves as a powerful force as they were supposedly a person’s only way to salvation. However, as this period came around, many began to see …show more content…

The printing press impacted the reformers in a huge way. The reformers were able to see more of what the Bible said for themselves, this furthered the idea that there was no real need for a Pope. As the Pope’s job was to read the Bible and keep commoners up to tabs on what the gospel said, the printing press eliminated the need for this; for those who loved God’s word, being able to read the Bible for themselves grated a chance for people to have contrasting ideas or put the Pope in check. John Wycliffe, a professor at Oxford University and reformer, also held the belief that it was God’s will that everyone should be able to come to God on their own. “I confess that the indulgences of the Pope, if they are what they are said to be, are a manifest blasphemy, inasmuch as he claims a power to save men almost without limit,…). Additionally, being able to spread their ideas also gave then confidence and removed more of the Catholic Church’s power to control information. For the Reformers, the saw the ultimate authority of the church being simply God and his personal relationship with