How did this affect the political and economic power and authority of the church?

-A historic movement that led to the start of many new Christian churches that broke away from the Catholic Church

-Began in the early 1500s and lasted into the 1600s

-Until then, all Christians in western Europe were Catholics

-Problems led to a number of Catholics to cry out for reform. They questioned the authority of church leaders and some of the church's teachings. Some broke away from the church entirely, and became known as Protestants because of their protests against the Catholic Church. The establishment of Protestant churches divided Christians into many seperate groups.

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