The Nature of Man, the Renaissance, and the Protestant Reformation

The reformation was a drastic event in the early modern period that launched Europe into a massive conflict of widespread violence, through both political and religious factors. The political scene had remained very much the same before the beginning of the reformation in 1517, with many philosophers sharing similar ideas on how to handle the issues of sovereignty and private property. Religion was a long debated factor before the reformation however was brought inadvertently to the forefront of most political works in the early years of the Protestant Reformation. This event completely changed the way in which philosophers constructed their political discourse as seen with More and Martin Luther, who although despite being placed on

Arguably the greatest and longest impacting movement brought about by the forward thinkers of the Renaissance was humanism. Humanism was a cultural and intellectual movement that emphasized the human potential to attain excellence through direct study of the literature, art, and civilization of the classical Greek and Roman societies (Merriam-Webster). The scholars and believers in humanism sought to change the course of society away from the narrow pedantry of medieval scholasticism and utilitarianism. Humanism was a basic desire for every citizen to be able to speak with eloquence and read and write with clarity, so that common citizens were capable of engaging in the civic life of their communities (Gray). The movement also emphasized the value of a human being as well as the importance of rational thought rather than blind faith in spiritualism or superstition. It also pushed people to explore human desires and pleasures while also enriching their minds. The influential nature of humanism was far reaching and most notable for its effects on Renaissance art, literature, and philosophy.

Through the study of the records of courts, both secular and ecclesiastical, which exists in thousands of European and American archives and libraries, a patient and careful researcher can reconstruct particular images of “the world we have lost” and of the people who inhabited that world. From this vast, largely untapped repository of judicial records, Gene Brucker uses the notarial protocols of Ser Filippo Mazzei, which contains the transcripts of the litigation in the archiepiscopal court and the catasto records, which provides information about Florentine households, to piece together the dossier of Giovanni and Lusanna. The story of Giovanni and Lusanna explores the love and marriage in renaissance Florence and uncovers the gradation of the city’s social hierarchy and the role of women in society.

The Effects of the Reformation on European Life European society was divided from the word go, people all around Europe were dominantly Catholic before the reformation. This time was bringing change throughout Europe with a heavy influence on art and culture because the Renaissance was occurring; a religious revolution was also beginning, which was known as the Protestant Reformation. The Protestant Reformation was the voicing of disagreements by a German Catholic priest about the Catholic Church; this priest was Martin Luther and was excommunicated from the church for his actions. The Protestant Reformation helped to influence and strengthen the Renaissance that was just arising in England.

The Protestant Reformation was an event which occurred within the Catholic Church during the 16th century. This Reformation was prompted by Martin Luther’s ‘95 theses’ which were a list of 95 criticisms towards the church. The Reformation formed another branch of Christianity called Protestantism which is comprised of many different Christian denominations including Anglican, Presbyterian, and Lutheran. The Protestant Reformation is considered a vital part of the Christian Church’s history and in order to explain why, this essay will look at three key parts of the reformation: the events which lead to Luther nailing his 95 theses on the door of the church, the event itself, and the consequences on the Catholic Church, the Protestant Church, and Western Society.

The age of the Reformation can be described as the period of bloodshed in the name of religion, search for the truth, and the birth of the denominational church. According to Shelley (2008) reformation brought about the end of papal leadership of western Christendom, while at the same time gave birth to Protestantism and its four traditions, which include Lutheran, Reformed, Anabaptist, and Anglican beliefs (Shelley, 2008). It is a period of enlightenment, in which Christians begin to interpret the Bible themselves and realize that God is attainable without the need of papacy bringing about queries of papal intentions. To gain further understanding of humility as a concept it is imperative to examine the works of the following figures,

Euan Cameron, “The Power of the Word: Renaissance: and Reformation,” (eds.) Euan Cameron, Early Modern Europe, An Oxford History (Oxford, 2001).

Throughout the Middle Ages the Catholic Church was subject to much criticism and disappointment. The Great Schism brought about a feeling of mistrust and separation. More and more people of Europe were beginning to lose their faith in the church's leadership. One man by the name of Martin Luther ignited a group of people who believed that the Church had fallen away from the teachings of Jesus and their meanings. They also believed that the Church was overly obsessed with money. These believed faults compelled Luther to take action. In 1517, on the eve of All Saint's Day, Luther posted up on the doors of Wittenberg Cathedral, ninety-five problems with the Church. They are more popularly known as the

In the film there was a group named the double d’s. They are called double d’s meaning, dumbest dog shit. The people from that group are chosen to be in that group because those students are the ones that do not comprehend the army duty.

"Humanism" is the belief that man has dignity and worth, therefore, the life on Earth should be cherished rather than just simply endured. This philosophy or intellectual movement initiated the Renaissance. During the middle ages, elements of daily life were strictly structured around the church and religion. However, toward the beginning of the 14th century, the power of the Church began to significantly decline. This was sparked by the Bubonic plague. The plague was viewed as a punishment from God, the people often turned to the Church for help, but the priests and church leaders could not give an explanation or a cure it. The hysteria and panic could not be stopped, creating a decline in the power and influence of the Catholic Church.

During the Renaissance, many writers were authoring "how-to" books. At the same time, mail correspondence was the main form of communication. This gives readers and historians the golden opportunity to perform some comparisons, and to paint a picture of what life was like in the renaissance. In The Book of the Family Leon Battista Alberti illustrates to his readers through dialogue, his vision of the perfect family. Alberti wrote his book in dialogue form, featuring the elder Giannozzo conversing with the young Leonardo. They discuss important family topics such as thrift, friendship, work, health, housing, economics, children and how and whom to choose as a wife. Alberti stresses thrift with family resources and money, hard work in

The protestant reformation began in 1517 and ended during the thirty years war, but the change and religion it brought along with it have affected society even today. Protestantism and the protestant reformation was based on an unrest against the catholic church. The corrupt catholic church had all of the control in Europe and would exploit this power every chance they got. Most of the European citizens were blind to this because they had dealt with it for so long. Though many were blind to this corruption there were some that saw every flaw that it presented like Martin Luther. Luther was a well respected author and scholar in 1500s Europe. He envisioned change in the catholic. The Protestant Reformation, and the Protestant religion has changed the lives of people during its birth, during its rise, and today.

Revolution and reformation; these are two words that are often identified with war, disagreement, and regional effects. While these things do indeed come along with a revolution or reformation, they heed an array of positive and secular outcomes as well. In addition, a revolution can, and usually will, cause a reformation. Conversely, a reformation can cause a revolution. This can happen despite the two things involved with the change or disagreement being seemingly unrelated. The world is connected and affected in ways that we cannot comprehend until we look at our world’s history and see how every small occurrence leads to a landslide of repercussions. The Renaissance is a prime example of this interconnectedness, as it was a time of rebirth, revolution and reformation. During the Renaissance, many changes ensued as a result of scientists, scholars and humanists who realized that they weren 't being taught or treated properly. This idea of unsatisfactory treatment as a result of the humanist spirit of the Renaissance led to the Scientific Revolution and The Protestant Reformation, movements that occurred during the Renaissance that changed life in Western Europe, and eventually the whole world, forever.

The renaissance and the reformation were two of the most significant changes in history that has shaped our world today. Both of these great time periods are strikingly similar in some ways and totally different in others. This is because the renaissance was a change from religion to humanism whether it is in art or literature; it is where the individual began to matter. However, the reformation was,” in a nutshell,” a way to reform the church and even more so to form the way our society is today. The first half of this paper will view the drop in faith, the economic powers, and the artistic and literary changes during the renaissance, while the second half will view the progresses and changes the church makes during the reformation.

You may wonder about, "The Renaissance" and its relationship to another term, "humanism" which fits into the same time period. If you check the dictionary, you will find that both terms can be used in a broad sense or more specifically. Humanism refers generally to a "devotion to the humanities: literary culture." (My definitions come from Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary). According to that definition we should all be humanists.