History of Religion

Renaissance humanism  is the study of classical antiquity, at first in Italy and then spreading across Western Europe in the 14th, 15th, and 16th centuries. It was an important feature of the Renaissance movement.

The followers of Martin Luther were called Protestants. They ware called protestants because of their "Protest". They were in protest of the major beliefs of the Catholic Church at the time. They held differing beliefs than the Catholic Church and sought to create a new Christian sect based on these new beliefs.

Renaissance signifies emancipation and expression. On the intellectual side, it marked the revival of literature and art, on the political side it marked the death of universal authority of Pope, the emergence and consolidation of well-organised nation states. Socially, it marked the spirit of individualism and the recognition of man as an individualism. 

It became easier to propagate the Renaissance ideas widely among the masses with the invention of the printing press by Gutenberg.

The Northern Renaissance most differed from the Italian Renaissance in that it replaced greater importance on religious devotion. In other words we can say, the Italian Renaissance was an artistic movement unaffected by reformation. In Northern Europe Renaissance was philosphical and strongly affected by reformation.

Religious turmoil, territorial conflicts, the need for taxes, and standing armies were all drivers of absolutism. Religious turmoil was a catalyst for the desire for strong, centralized control to restore order, not a result of it.

Reformation led to the division within the Church. It broke the unity of Christendom. The church was broken up into two major groups: Protestantism and Catholicism. The two main groups further divided into many sects. National Churches were established in many countries. The supremacy of the Pope was replaced by the supremacy of the Bible.

The Church was the most influential body in medieval history. It held great importance in the lives of people who perceived the Church as a source of divinity and legitimacy.

"Renaissance" is a French word meaning rebirth or revival. Europe witnessed extensive prosperity during the later Middle Ages. There were many thinkers and researchers in various walks of life. The Europeans advanced in religious power, political power, economy, social structure, art, literature, science, etc. Renaissance means all round progress in various walks of life. 

During the Renaissance, the humanist scholars acquired the books from the Arabs and retranslated them into Greek and Latin and studied them.

A new humanist culture had flowered in Italian towns from the fourteenth to the seventeenth century. This culture was characterized by a new belief – that man, as an individual, was capable of making his own decisions and developing his skills.

The leader of this counter-reformation was the Spanish aristocrat called Ignatius Loyola. He founded the 'Society of Jesuits.' Their main aim was to restore the glory and authority of the Roman Catholic Church. The main objective was to impart good education to the followers of this organisation and make them dedicate their lives to the service of the society. 

The religious reformation heralded the beginning of a new age. The movement started by Martin Luther was known as religious reformation. This movement led to the split of Christianity and a new sect called 'Protestant Sect' appeared.