Page "History of religions" Paragraph 20

European colonisation during the 15th to 19th centuries resulted in the spread of Christianity to Sub-Saharan Africa, the Americas, Australia and the Philippines.

The invention of the printing press in the 15th century played a major role in the rapid spread of the Protestant Reformation under leaders such as Martin Luther and John Calvin.

Wars of religion followed, culminating in the Thirty Years War which ravaged central Europe, 1618-1648.

Both Protestant and Catholic churches competed in a global endeavor to Christianize the world.