In what ways did the renaissance and the reformation influence the enlightenment?

The Enlightenment was an extension of many of the ideas of the renaissance and reformation.

The first element of this is religious. The reformation and the rise of Protestantism broke the stranglehold of the Roman Catholic Church on Europe. Protestantism was inherently anticlerical, arguing for the importance of scripture and personal faith in salvation was exclusively mediated by church ritual and hierarchy.

Political forces often influence public opinion.