Coincidentwiththisattackfromwithout，wefindareformationbegunwithin，asexemplifiedintheDominicanandFranciscanmovements。ThesecondgreatblowwasaimedbyPhilipIV。ofFrance，andthistimeitstruckwithterribleforce。TheremovalofthePapacytoAvignon，in1305，wasthevirtualthoughunrecognizedabdicationofitsbeneficentsupremacy。Bereftofitsdignityandindependence，fromthattimeforthitceasedtobethedefenderofnationalunityagainstbaronialanarchy，ofpopularrightsagainstmonarchicalusurpation，andbecameaformidableinstrumentofdespotismandoppression。Throughthevicissitudesofthegreatschisminthefourteenthcentury，andtherefractorycouncilsinthefifteenth，itspositionbecamerapidlymoreandmoreretrogradeanddemoralized。Andwhen，in1530，itjoineditsforceswiththoseofCharlesV。，incrushingthelibertiesoftheworthiestofmediaevalrepublics，itbecameevidentthatthecauseoffreedomandprogressmusthenceforthbeintrustedtosomemorefaithfulchampion。TherevoltofNorthernEurope，ledbyLutherandHenryVIII。wasbutthearticulateannouncementofthisalteredstateofaffairs。SolongastheRomanChurchhadbeenfelttobetheenemyoftyrannicalmonarchsandthesteadfastfriendofthepeople，itsencroachments，asrepresentedbymenlikeDunstanandBecket，wereregardedwithpopularfavour。ThestrengthoftheChurchlayeverinitsdemocraticinstincts；andwhenthesewerefoundtohaveabandonedit，theindignantprotestofLuthersufficedtotearawayhalfofEuropefromitsallegiance。
Bytheendofthesixteenthcentury，wefindtheterritorialstrugglebetweentheChurchandthereformedreligionsubstantiallydecided。ProtestantismandCatholicismoccupiedthenthesamerespectiveareaswhichtheynowoccupy。Since1600
therehasbeennoinstanceofanationpassingfromoneformofworshiptotheother；andinallprobabilitythereneverwillbe。
Sincethewholesaledissolutionofreligiousbeliefswroughtinthelastcentury，thewholeissuebetweenRomanismandProtestantism，regardedasdogmaticsystems，ispracticallydead。
M。Renanisgivingexpressiontoanalmostself-evidenttruth，whenhesaysthatreligiousdevelopmentisnolongertoproceedbywayofsectarianproselytism，butbywayofharmoniousinternaldevelopment。Thecontestisnolongerbetweenonetheologyandanother，butitisbetweenthetheologicalandthescientificmethodsofinterpretingnaturalphenomena。Thesixteenthcenturyhastousthereforetheinterestbelongingtoaroundedandcompletedtale。Itcontainswithinitselfsubstantiallytheentirehistoryofthefinalstageofthetheologicalreformation。