Final answer:
The power of the Roman Catholic Church was challenged by Martin Luther's 95 theses and John Calvin's reforms, spurred by concerns over Church corruption and the rise of nationalistic power struggles. This initiated the Protestant Reformation, reshaping Europe's religious and political landscapes.
Step-by-step explanation:
Various forces led to people questioning and ultimately challenging the power of the Roman Catholic Church in England and on the continent during the 16th century. The Church's deep entanglement in both political and spiritual domains became a target for reforms initiated by figures like Martin Luther and John Calvin. Concerns over clerical immorality, ignorance, absenteeism, and the controversy over indulgences were chief among the Church's criticisms. These challenges came amidst a backdrop of rising nationalism, where emerging nation-states sought to diminish Papal authority and boost their own secular power.
Luther's 95 theses in 1517 sparked the Protestant Reformation, an event with profound political, social, and religious consequences. As a direct result of these challenges, Protestant sects rapidly appeared across Europe, shifting the religious landscape and leading to conflicts that would persist until the Treaty of Westphalia in 1648. England's history of religious turmoil also reflected these religious conflicts, particularly the opposition in Parliament to a Catholic monarchy after the 1640s civil wars and the Glorious Revolution in 1668, further emphasizing the interplay between religious reform, power, and politics.