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The Reformation
By the sixteenth century it was clear that the church was in decline. Martin Luther, a German monk, sought reform. Other events and trends added momentum. Some secular leaders wanted to be out from under the Vatican, there was increasing interest in the importance and role of the individual, the idea of knowing by authority was losing appeal, and the invention of the printing press made possible the rapid spread of ideas. Luther's reforms inspired a movement, and John Calvin began his own Reformed tradition. A third wing contained Anabaptists and others who were generally less optimistic about the church's relationship to secular power. As theologians tediously constructed doctrine, the Pietists sought to regain a simple spirituality. This Reformation mix of theology and devotion was facing an increasingly hostile intellectual climate within society.
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