History of Western Tradition - Essay Example

The Renaissance and the Protestant Reformation are a unified, interconnected whole since the former brought about a new exchange of knowledge and ideas, and with the invention of the printing press enabling the dissemination of these knowledge, individuals start to challenge their devotion and belief to the Catholic Church finally resulting in the Protestant Reformation. The Renaissance and Protestant Reformation brought about numerous changes which marked the way people view various features of modern life.

The revival of religion, architecture, and art encouraged the most important developments in the world. The Renaissance ignited developments in architecture and arts. Individuals learned the concept of individualism; they demanded to gain personal recognition of their own actions rather than gaining credit for their dedication to God. Numerous architectural styles were created during the Renaissance period. The Renaissance created questions concerning the way to salvation by introducing new insights, specifically the importance placed on individualism, which was a belief that individuals have the capability of differentiating right from wrong, and deciding whether to act morally or immorally.

The Catholic Church, passionately promoted the knowledge that salvation can only be attained through the Church, but when Martin Luther read the passage in the bible declaring ‘just shall live by his faith’1 to imply that genuine belief or faith is the only way to salvation he started to question the all-powerful foundation of the church. In one of Luther’s table talk, against Catholicism in 1535, he stated one of his major disputations: The chief cause that I fell out with the pope was this: the pope boasted that he was the head of the Church, and condemned all that would not be under his power and authority; for he said, although Christ be the head of the Church, yet, notwithstanding, there must be a corporal head of the Church upon earth.

With this I could have been content, had he but taught the gospel pure and clear, and not introduced human inventions and lies in its stead.2 The Christian cleric Luther was very troubled over the existence of indulgences, or the religious practice of giving money to the church, hence he created his book of disputes referred to as the ‘Ninety-Five Theses’.3 This document is an effort to explain and elaborate on the issue. Yet, because of the invention of the printing press during the Renaissance period, the document of Luther became a general text and was quite interesting to thinkers and philosophers who also oppose the religious institution.

The Renaissance also contributed greatly to the Protestant Reformation when Luther attributed his interpretation of the Bible to his personal perspective of religion, thus he persevered to translate the Bible into the German language in order for more people to understand it. Yet again, the Renaissance printing press helped in the dissemination of the translated Bible, and also in the circulation of guides that persuaded many to follow the teachings of Luther and Protestantism. The Renaissance basically was a period where new knowledge was recognized, and was still accepted after it ended.

This acceptance of knowledge enabled the principles of Luther to cope, alongside a large number of Protestant branches to emerge. A French intellectual, John Calvin, abided by the teachings of Luther but instead of giving emphasis on salvation he persuaded the population to acknowledge the justice,