The Renaissance also encouraged people to question received wisdom and offered the possibility of change, which was unthinkable in the middle ages. This encouraged the reformers to tackle abuses in the Church, which ultimately led to the schism and the end of Christendom’s old idea.

The new ideas of free-thinkers, mathematicians and scientists all became accessible to the masses, and art and science became, for the first time in human history, truly democratic. The seeds of the modern world were sown and grown in the Renaissance.

• Classical techniques from Greece and Rome.
• Realistic paintings and sculpture.
• Individuals and nature portrayed.
• Secular and Religious art.
• Individual achievement.

The Reformation’s legacy has been hotly debated. It has been credited with increasing literacy rates, improving the lives of women, birthing modern capitalism, advancing the scientific revolution, and giving rise to the Protestant work ethic.

Historians have identified several causes for the emergence of the Renaissance following the Middle Ages, such as: increased interaction between different cultures, the rediscovery of ancient Greek and Roman texts, the emergence of humanism, different artistic and technological innovations, and the impacts of conflict …

The Reformation itself was affected by the invention of the Printing Press and the expansion of commerce which characterized the Renaissance. Both Reformations, both Protestant and Catholic affected print culture, education, popular rituals and culture, and the role of women in society.

The fundamental doctrine of the Reformation movement led to the growth of marked individualism which resulted in grave social, political, and economic conflicts. It led ultimately to the growth of individual liberty and democracy.

While Protestant reformers aimed to elevate the role of religion, we find that the Reformation produced rapid economic secularization. The interaction between religious competition and political economy explains the shift in investments in human and fixed capital away from the religious sector.

The Counter-Reformation served to solidify doctrine that many Protestants were opposed to, such as the authority of the pope and the veneration of saints, and eliminated many of the abuses and problems that had initially inspired the Reformation, such as the sale of indulgences for the remission of sin.