... and not by an external authority, such as the Pope. However, this principle had already been established through the Treaty of Augsburg (1555). According to this treaty each individual German principality had the right to decide whether its territory would be Lutheran or Catholic (Britannica, p.383). With this principle a new state system was born. In this system there are territorially bounded ... ...

• Word Count: 2410
• Approx Pages: 10
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... . The desire for change and reform within the church was increased by the Renaissance, with its study of ancient texts and emphasis on the individual. (Hooker) The Reformation ended the ecclesiastical supremacy of the pope in Western Christendom, resulted in the establishment of the Protestant churches, and altered forever the future of Christianity. The rigid hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church ... ...

• Word Count: 1431
• Approx Pages: 6
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... ), many trends of the Reformation were simply continuations of the past. As evidenced by the (initially) purely doctrinal intentions of Luther's suggested changes, the Reformation began as an attempt at ecclesiastical reform from within, which was not a new idea. Medieval Europe experienced its fair share of reform movements, most notably after the Investiture Controversy of the 11th Century, an open and ... ...

• Word Count: 2887
• Approx Pages: 12
• Grade Level: Undergraduate