The Reformation of the Catholic Church was an important event in the history of the world. There were numerous causes of the reformation and its effects would help shape modern culture.

Corrupt and questionable church practices were a major cause of reform in the Catholic Church. These included the selling of indulgences, marriage of priests, and the low level of education of priests. Two other questionable practices were simony, the buying and selling of church offices, and usury, the charging of interest on loans to earn a profit. Another dubious event was the Avignon Papacy, a time in which there were two popes - one in Italy and one in England. Another group of issues that led to the Reformation were philosophical issues. For example, the Catholic Church stated that an individual could not go straight to God but had to go through a priest and a person...