Question 1:

Humanism was an academic trend that emerged during the Renaissance. The belief that people
are the centre of the universe and should value their contributions to education, the classical arts,
literature, and science was one of the many principles of humanism.
1. Rise of Humanism: People were required to put the church above all else during the
Middle Ages.
2. Knowledge Diffusion: Around 1450, German immigrant Johannes Gutenberg created the
printing press, which ushered in an educated culture.
3. Artistic Realism
4. Dependence on observation
Humanism was a cultural and educational movement that predominated throughout the
Renaissance and was founded on the study of ancient Greek and Roman literature. Renaissance
men did not place the classics below the importance of Christian ideas, in contrast to mediaeval
intellectuals who attempted to integrate classical learning into a Christian worldview. Instead,
they admired Roman writing for what it was, for its understanding of human nature and its lucid,
endearing style. Law was first studied by humanists, and this became their main inspiration for
studying rhetoric. He went far beyond his textbooks and started to remark on political matters by
mastering law and applying the old Roman paradigm. The humanist educational system
underwent a significant transformation when the Christian perspective on man and woman was
taken into account. In the eyes of Christians, men and women could not attain perfection via their
own efforts and skills, and it was improper and evil for them to strive. It highlights the degree to
which humanity were subject to divine will. Humanists, on the other hand, who remembered the
ancient Greek idea of Arete saw the individual's pursuit of excellence as the goal of life, not only
of education. In his Oration on the Dignity of Man, philosopher Giovanni Pico Della Mirandola
stressed the creative abilities of people (1486).
As he viewed man as a "magician," Pico elaborated on the idea that man has a responsibility to
realize his potential through hard work and comprehend nature in order to master it. The
humanist emphasis on study gave rise to a kind of critical thinking that, in the hands of the right
people, has the potential to challenge established institutions and allegiances. Humanists see the
downfall of Scholasticism to be the lack of sufficient relevant information rather than Latinism.
Humanists emphasized the significance of human will and deeds, whereas Christians saw history
as the revelation of God's purpose and providence. The glory bestowed by one's city was the
ultimate objective for humanists throughout the mediaeval age, when salvation was the ultimate
goal. As a result, the Renaissance's core idea became the quest of a humanist reputation.

Question 2:
The Catholic Church upheld the teaching of "justification by works," which held that a person
may only be saved through faith and deeds of goodness. According to Luther, the good work is a
natural outgrowth of God's predetermined work.
If we have trust, we will act out of love and good deeds. The Church, however, held that
performing good deeds was crucial to entering heaven. "The law was solely provided to
demonstrate the nature of sin," where sin is primarily defined as believing and unbelief. Sin is
when something is done out of love for the law rather than out of love for the law's penalty or
hope of reward. As a result, it is forced upon and done involuntarily. Because no one fulfils the
law with joy and gladness, it is stressed that the law arrives in anger rather than grace. Thus,
rather than bringing about grace, the deeds of the law bring about reluctance. But when we take
pleasure in upholding the law, sin is no longer allowed to creep in, and the law is no longer
working against us but for us. In contrast to the doctrine of the Church that he rejected, Luther
knew that righteousness was the sole work of God and that justification was based solely on faith.
According to church doctrine, believers are justified as a result of receiving God's mercy into their
souls, by means of the New Testament.
The Greek word "Dikaiosune," according to Luther, meant to make believers righteous rather
than to make unbelievers righteous. As a result, he came to understand that righteousness is not
something that believers can attain; rather, it is something that is imparted to believers through
faith alone—hence, Luther's emphasis on how faith alone justifies the law. Luther condemned
the opulent notion that one could buy their way to heaven by spending money, as well as the
concept of purgatory, where the poor were had to purchase relics in order to see their loved ones
once again and the cash had to be returned. Such behaviours weaken the integrity of inner
conviction and faith, showing how tainted the Catholic Church was.
Finally, given these criteria, how does Luther characterize truly good deeds?
 The Catholic Church's concept of justification by works maintains that only by faith and
good deeds can a person be saved. The church held the view that doing good deeds was
required to enter heaven.
 Theologically, if we have faith, we won't perform good deeds out of obligation or a desire
to enter paradise, but rather because we genuinely want to.
 Grace: Faith transforms into an unshakeable trust that we are ready to endure a thousand
deaths for. This idea of trust is accompanied by internal conviction. removing
intermediaries, which would allow each soul to communicate with God directly. Grace is
a gift, not a right. Christ has chosen us, and His righteousness will cover us. We sinners
are led to believe by God's grace and the righteousness of Christ, not by our own
arrogance.