Machiavelli rejected the divine origin of power, believing that politics doesn't recognize any authority in itself.
Thus, he challenged the church's centuries-old authority, because of this his work appeared on the church's official list of books against the faith.
In his writing Machiavelli expressed a greater degree of secularism than his contemporaries but could hardly be classified as atheist. He only realized the tremendous influence of the church on politics, and is one of the first authors to distinguish between religion and politics.
What prompted him to act was the influence of the Catholic Church in the fragmentation of Italy.
Similar to him, Luther rejected the supreme authority of the Pope.
He believed that the church should reject bad practices that become its integral part, and asked that the church goes back to its basis.
