The Reformation is an era that is widely acknowledged as a major turning point marked by substantial change politically and religiously in Western Europe and the world. This change is primarily due to the influence of Martin Luther, a man who played a pivotal role through his writings. There were many reasons for the push for the Reformation, but the main causes were political and religious. The Church was a powerhouse because the clergy comprised the majority of those who could read, the majority of Europe and most of the world believed in Christianity, and the Pope was a figurehead who had the power of excommunication. Eventually, this power would start to afflict the Church, on the outside, the Church preached its teaching, thought to be …show more content…
Luther was a devoted monk who practiced and believed in the Church’s teachings until he visited Rome. In Document 5, it says, "He received the impression that ‘Rome, once the holiest city, was now the worst.’" In Rome, Luther came to realize one thing: the Church was not what it claimed to be. An example of this is when Pope Leo X, after emptying the Vatican’s coffers, sold indulgences to the public, exchanging money for salvation, or another time when a priest stated, "if there was a hell, Rome was built on it." Luther saw the corruption firsthand and decided to start gathering information to oppose the Church. He began to study in a monastery and read many versions of the Bible. "Luther claimed that he had read that Bible so thoroughly that he knew what was on every page. " Eventually, Luther would have a revelation of truth, and this revelation would be that the Church’s intervention shouldn’t be as big as it is. Only two sacraments were truly needed, baptism and the Lord’s supper, and that you did not need the Church to enter heaven, all you have to do is have faith and put your hand out. Then, Luther would formulate a document known as the "95 Theses", which directly opposed the Church and the papacy by ridiculing their corrupt ways. He pinned a copy to the Castle Church door in Wittenberg and printed his copies through the recent invention of Johannes Gutenberg, the printing press. Luther was now well-known throughout