What were the causes and contributing factors of the European Reformation in the sixteenth century?

The European Reformation is a term used to describe the religious, cultural and political shift which marked the change from Medieval Catholic structures in society to an Early Modern Protestant society, the characteristics of which are present in our society today.The Reformation can be attributed to several main factors, events and significant figures. Firstly, the Medieval Catholic Church had been the authority in the political and spiritual affairs in society for hundreds of years. The popularity and influence of the Church is a matter of debate among historians, however it is evident that criticism became increasingly centred upon the Church's great wealth, the political dominance of the papacy, the corruption, pluralism, and absenteeism of the clergy, and the spiritual credibility of Catholic rites and practices such as Indulgences.These criticisms became focus of the teachings of reformers such as Martin Luther, who in 1517 presented his Ninety Five Theses which proposed the reform of Catholic practices and doctrine by advocating a return to Scripture as the means to gaining true salvation. Luther's ideas were widely published across Europe and adopted by subsequent reformers such as John Calvin, leading many countries to relinquish Catholicism and adopt Protestant doctrine and Church structures.The popularity of the reformers can be attributed to cultural trends across Europe during the period, namely the prevalence of Humanism from the Italian Renaissance, which led many rulers to embrace Protestantism as a means to become the ultimate authority in their realms instead of the Pope. This new trend for learning was accompanied by the development of the printing press, which meant reformers could spread their ideas quickly and far afield and to a learned readership. The Reformation was therefore a religiously, politically, and culturally influenced phenomenon.