A Hand Coloured Magic Lantern Slide Circa 1900. The Reformation (From Latin Reformatio, Literally "restoration, Renewal"), Also Referred To As The Protestant Reformation And The European Reformation, Was A Schism From The Roman Catholic Church Initiated By Martin Luther, And Continued By John Calvin, Huldrych ZwiNgai, And Other Early Protestant Reformers In 16th Century Europe. Most Experts On The Subject Consider The Publication Of The Ninety-Five Theses By Luther In 1517 As Its Starting Point, With The Peace Of Westphalia In 1648 (Concluding The Thirty Years' War) As Its Ending.