Renaissance (2) Thinkers and philosophers turned more and more from the religious concerns of the middle ages to the study of what was modern and scientific.They speculated,questioned,and argued with authorities and with tradition.The invention of scientific instruments such as the microscope in 1590 and the telescope in 1609 quickly inspired a new spirit of scientific enquiry.After Nicolaus Copernicus (1473-1543)published On the Revolution of the Celestial Spheres in 1543,large numbers of educated people finally ceased to believe that the earth was the center of the universe.Man now seemed increasingly capable of understanding and controlling his environment,of shaping his own life,even his destiny. Renewed study of ancient Greek and Hebrew(希伯来人) literature inspired a new and critical interest in the Bible and a close scrutiny(of its text.The new humanism and the critical spirit of the Renaissance in turn gave impetus(推动力，刺 )to the Reformation;the religious revolution that dominated Western Europe in the 16th century brought the end of medieval Christianity and the rise of Protestantism.▲ Renaissance Renaissance (2) • Thinkers and philosophers turned more and more from the religious concerns of the middle ages to the study of what was modern and scientific. They speculated, questioned, and argued with authorities and with tradition. The invention of scientific instruments such as the microscope in 1590 and the telescope in 1609 quickly inspired a new spirit of scientific enquiry. After Nicolaus Copernicus (1473–1543) published On the Revolution of the Celestial Spheres in 1543, large numbers of educated people finally ceased to believe that the earth was the center of the universe. Man now seemed increasingly capable of understanding and controlling his environment, of shaping his own life, even his destiny. Renewed study of ancient Greek and Hebrew(希伯来人) literature inspired a new and critical interest in the Bible and a close scrutiny(细阅) of its text. The new humanism and the critical spirit of the Renaissance in turn gave impetus (推动力,刺 激)to the Reformation; the religious revolution that dominated Western Europe in the 16th century brought the end of medieval Christianity and the rise of Protestantism