Question

What influence did the Reformation and Renaissance periods have on the Enlightenment movement?

Answer 1

People challenged accepted belief and authority

Answer 2

Answer:

Both the Renaissance and the Reformation periods challenged the authority of the Church over matters of knowledge (where does knowledge come from and how can it be shown to be valid? what are the limits of human interpretation?), government (what role should the church hold in political matters and philosophical discourse), and consciousness (is divine intervention the foundation of the self or the individual?). These are all clear influences and topics that the Enlightenment would accentuate and elaborate further.