The Reformation caused changes in religion by the Christian church in the early 18th century. Martin Brecht defines the Reformation as the world historical event that was “triggered and substantially shaped by the monk and professor Martin Luther. His religious struggle for a merciful God, his existence between God and the Devil, led to a schism within Western Christianity and the emergence of the Protestant churches” (Brecht). Martin Luther and John Calvin were the leaders of the Protestant Reformation. How were Martin Luther and John Calvin different, and how were they similar in their attempts to reform the church? Martin Luther, also known as the “Reformer,” was a superior asset in the Protestant Reformation. He was born on November 10, 1483 in the city of Eisleben, which was located in East Germany. Luther's parents were Hans Luder and Margaretha nee Lindemann. His father was a farmer and later became a copper miner in Mansfeld. Martin Luther's parents raised him in the strict environment of the Roman Catholic Church. With his new job in Mansfeld, Hans made the decision to move his family there in 1484. Hans expected Martin to become a lawyer, so Luther went to Erfurt in 1501 to study law. Luther earned his master's degree in 1505. Shortly thereafter he felt that jurisprudence was not the right place for him. This act shocked his father, not only because he dropped out of university, but he decided that he wanted to become an Augustinian monk in Erfurt. Luther believed that if he took his religion seriously, he could please God and do good works for him. However, once again, he was still unhappy. Luther decided to make another life-changing decision to study theology. He went to Wittenberg to study this topic. Martin... in the center of the card... the church. In conclusion, because of the Reformation, churches changed a lot, and continue to change today. Works Cited Brecht, Martin and Wolfgang Katenz. "Luther, Martin." The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Reformation. Oxford University Press, 1996. Web. 3 December 2011. Burkholder, Peter J., Donald Jay Grout, Claude V. Palisca. A history of Western music. New York: W. W. Norton & Company Inc., 2010. Print.Dunning, Albert R. “Calvin, Jean.” Oxford Music Online. Oxford University Press, 2007. Web. 3 December 2011. Leaver, Robin A. “Luther, Martin.” Oxford Music Online. Oxford University Press, 2007. Web. 3 December. 2011. .