The Renaissance emphasized the humanistic, individualistic, and realistic outlooks on life. The Renaissance viewpoint stressed judgement by reason rather than blind acceptance of church tradition or customs. It emphasized the present earthly life and the beauty of nature. Technology, invention, anatomy, medicine, and astronomy were the major concerns of the Renaissance scientists. Their investigations prepared the way for the development of modern science in the 17th century, first by their successful attack on the abstract and deductive late medieval philosophy and second by their emphasis on this phylsical world and the life of the senses. Many new inventions such as the printing press, magnetic compass, and gunpowder exerted great influence on human lifestyle.

Protest Against the Christian Church
The introduction of Greek classics into the West stimulated scholars and even educated layment to learn Greek. As they read the Greek manuscripts of the New Testament they began to see discrepancies between the words and works of Jesus and the theology and practice of the Roman Catholic Church. As the growing middle class became more independent financially and develolped greater selfconfidence in their ability to meet life's problems, they desired to free themselves from the strict rule of the Church. Thus the corruption of the Church, the rediscovery of a deeper understanding of Jesus' teachings, the rapid growth of a self supporting middle class, and the materialism, self-indulgence and power-politics of the Renaissance provided an atmosphere which encouraged the Christian commom man to question and criticize the manners and morals of the Christian Church leadership. The Renaissance in short was an anti-clerical movement that was reacting against the Church's corruption.

Because of the social environment of the feudal system and the secular degradation of Roman Catholicism in the medieval ages, the original nature of the average Christian was restrained and it's free development was restricted. Faith or the spiritual path each human must walk to have a close relationship with God can only be realized by a vertical and/or inner relationship directly between an individual and God. The intervention of the Pope and Priests between individuals and God, together with formal religious ceremonies and laws fettered the religious freedom of that age, while the strict system of the feudalistic classes restrained each human's independent religious activity. Besides the buying and selling of the priesthood and the exploitation of the people by the priests, these religious leaders lives inclined to be very luxurious and hedonistic. Because of this, these religious leaders were more like the authorities of a general materialistic society and consequently unable to lead the common Christian to God, but led them more in the direction of evil influence or domination. Medieval men, who were under the bondage of such an environment moved spontaneously in the direction of destroying this barrier between them and God by breaking down the restrictive environment. This first took place externally and then internally.

Restoration of Humankind's Outward Environment
God's sequence of creation is from one to many, from simple to complex and from outward to inward. The universe which is the outward environment was created before mankind was created. In the creation of humans the flesh was made first followed by the creation of the spirit. In the course of God's re-creation work, the principle remains the same, that is the outward re-creation occurs before the the inward does. Thus, according to God's principle of creation from outward to inward the outward environment of humanity must be restored before inward restoration can take place, specifically the improvement of our physical environment or situation. This means before the True Parents could come to guide humanity through the Completion Stage, the material world must be developed and prepared. Towards this ends the Renaissance with its tendency towards rational thought and enthusiastic investigation of the natural world greatly helped to prepare a foundation for the progressive development of the outward environment of humanity.

Beginning Point of Modern Cain/Abel Philosophies
Besides preparing the way for the modern scientific age, the Renaissance also had an adverse effect because it gave rise to non-God-centered philosophies such as those of Machiavelli, Chaucer and Rabelais, with an emphasis on "this life" or the material world. Medieval people also came to study the classics of Hellenism which had it's origin in Greece. The old spirit of Hellas was an external pursuit of man's original nature - the pursuit of human freedom, the independence of personality, the dignity of human intellect and reason, the estimation of nature, the emphasis on reality and the exaltation of science. This movement to restore Hellenism occured with great ardor because it agreed with the desire of the oppressed Christian's original God-centered nature. This movement developed into what is called humanism.

In addition to producing a Cain-like philosophy, the Renaissance gave stimulus to the revolution of the churches which resulted in an Abel-like philosophy. In opposition to the atheistic Cain-like philosophies a new and more concise religious thought came about through the Church Reformation.