In Big cities this would also usually mean it would be home to the ‘printing press’. The ‘Printing press’ alone could be said to be as crucial as Martin Luther’s contribution, as it was able to manufacture his beliefs into pamphlets which were able to be transported, especially around and in cities. It was argued by Elizabeth Einstein that the printing press helped ‘shape the reformation’. On top of this, the literacy rates within the cities were at higher levels and so more people were able to read the vast amounts of publications. The last key advantage of the cities’ contribution was the cities politics, as the cities were able to make their own decision about the reforming ideas.
Two examples that make this clear are the vast amount of broadsheets, pamphlets and even cartoons, for those who were illiterate that were distributed quickly, significantly contributing to the success of the Reformation, and the way reformers such as Luther and Calvin were not able to be suppressed by the church in the same quick to act manner as it had done with heretics in a pre-Gutenberg Press era. Due to an extension of literacy among laypeople and the reliance of record keeping in government, cheaper and more efficient ways of writing were sought after in the west. Replacements for both expensive parchment and skilled scribes, who in their small numbers began to command increasingly high salaries. Western Europe began to import paper from the East and finally a reduction in costs was achieved. The next phase of trying to find a new and more cost effective way to print was trial and error, including printed books via woodcuts, however as each page needed its own woodcut this was only marginally better than using a scribe.
This Theses was addressed to Pope Leo X, who was building St Peter’s. Luther was angered about this and made his opinion in the Theses that if the pope could open the doors of purgatory for people who paid, why could he not open them for all people.Luther published other scriptures against the sale of indulgences, his letter to Albrecht of Mainz and the explanation of the 95 Theses. His initial writings were catalysts in the course of the reformation, it was Luther’s anger and bravery that began the Reformation. Luther continued to publish impactful works, in 1520 he released To the Christian Nobility of the German Nation, where Luther outlined the doctrine of the Priesthood of all believers and denied the authority of the Pope to interpret, or confirm interpretation of the Bible, On the Babylonian Captivity of the Church, and On the Freedom of a Christian. These publications all became influential as they were able to spread around Germany through the German printing press and were allowing people to form their own opinions of the church rather than being told by the church what to believe.
For instance, “the sale of indulgences for the benefit of the church of Rome specifically for the rebuilding of St. Peters Cathedral provoked harsh criticism, especially by those who saw the luxuries of the papacy as a betrayal of apostolic ideals ” (Fiero 119). Martin Luther stated a list of objections, called the Ninety-Five Theses, against the Roman Catholic Church. The Protestant Reformation changed the course of Western civilization for the long term which led to the impact on the arts using Northern Renaissance art, music and literature. Protestant reformers made two new printmaking processes, which were woodcut and engraving. Compared to the too expensive hand-illuminated manuscripts, books with printed pictures became an inexpensive option for all (Fiero 127).
The only censorship came from the publishers who decided what they would publish, however many publishers encouraged honesty, as that was what the people were interested in reading. The people played a crucial role in the popularization of newspapers. For the first time, the were given the opportunity to voice their opinions and have them published in newspapers alongside letters corresponded home from soldiers and articles written by journalists. The Crimean War marked a new era of journalism: an era of drama, honesty and accessibility. The journalism seen today stems from the genre of journalism formed during the time of the Crimean
The first printed books were religious in nature, as were most medieval books. They also imitated handwritten manuscript form so that people would accept this new revolutionary way of copying books. The printing press soon changed the forms and uses of books quite radically. Books
Also it began to stir up conflicts among the beliefs of the churches over time. The printing press was an amazing invention that became so extraordinary that it was used to print almost anything such as religious books, advertisements, and even literary works. These prints probably traveled across the continent faster than it took to write them. In 1493 Columbus sent a handwritten letter to the King of Spain (Doc. 6).
One of the main leaders in the act to resist the Roman Catholic Church’s authority and change the ideas of Christianity in the Protestant Reformation was Martin Luther. Martin Luther, a German priest in Wittenberg during the 1500s, had opposed several immoral practices of the Catholic Church not only in Germany, but also all of Europe due to the extensive reach of power
Some would argue that religion is a force for social change. This statement appears to be true because of things such as the civil rights movement in America, and the fact that without religion the changes that occurred during the civil rights movement would have never happened. This is because during the civil rights movement religion helped to mobilise public opinion by the use of preaching. Too get the people motivated for social change preaching would help pass messages across through a religious service and thus motivate people to change laws. A famous example of this was Martin Luther Kings ‘I have a dream’ speech, his use of religion in his passionate speech for equality helped to motivate people in society to push for social change, and ultimately changed America’s legislation and outlook on integration and equality between the black and white community in America.
In just about twenty nine years the printing in Europe rapidly increased through the central of the small German states and the Papal states also it spreads to the Netherland and over to England. With the spread of printing information will be easily be spread throughout the world. To which the printing spread to the Renaissance culture the tools for sharpening their wits against the clergy -- not to undermine faith, but restore its ancient apostolic purity. With the spread of printing being so massive anything was about possible. A man named Martin Luther wrote the ninety five Theses about the issues of indulgences to the Church for official pardons.