Chapter 16 : Renaissance and Reformation The Renaissance began in Italy in the 1300s, giving birth to an interest in the cultures of the classical past. For the first time since the fall of Rome, European artists and writers focused less on religion and spiritual values and instead emphasized worldly activities and feelings. Later, the Renaissance spread to northern Europe, where it took on a somewhat more religious character. The invention of moveable type in printing made more books available at lower prices, further spreading Renaissance ideas and challenging religious and cultural beliefs. Protests against the abuses of the Roman Catholic Church soon led to a split in western Christianity and the beginning of various forms of Protestantism. In response to this development, the Church began its own counter-reform movement.