Final answer:
The main cause of the Renaissance was not the popes promoting outside thinking, but rather the contact with Islamic empires, the impact of the Black Death, and the rising middle class.
Step-by-step explanation:
Out of the options given, the one that is NOT a main cause of the Renaissance is: The popes forced people to think beyond the teachings in the Bible and promoted outside thinking so that Europe could advance beyond the rest of the world. Although the popes during the Renaissance did patronize the arts and encourage intellectual inquiry, they were not a main cause of the Renaissance. The other options mentioned, such as the contact with Islamic empires, the impact of the Black Death, and the rising middle class, all played significant roles in influencing the Renaissance.
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