Final answer:
The origins of the Reformation can be attributed to Martin Luther's excommunication and his objection to the sale of indulgences. Additionally, Luther built on existing scholars' ideas and addressed the problems in the Catholic Church.
Step-by-step explanation:
The origins of the Reformation can be best described as follows:
- Martin Luther’s excommunication made large numbers of people unhappy with the Catholic Church. Luther publicly objected to the church's sale of indulgences, and his ideas spread throughout Europe.
- Martin Luther successfully built on more than a century of other scholars' ideas, causing more people to leave the Catholic Church. Luther's actions, such as compiling the Ninety-Five Theses, influenced religious reform.
- For the first time in the sixteenth century, scholars began to speak out about problems in the Catholic Church. This discontent among European Catholics, along with Luther's protest, led to the Protestant Reformation, which divided the Church.