The early Christians who challenged the doctrines of the Catholic Church had already made their case long before Martin Luther, the acclaimed founding father of Protestantism, finally broke away from the Catholic Church Church. Before the Reformation and the official formation of Protestantism, many philosophers, theologians, and logicians who led the quest for greater knowledge and education spoke out against the doctrines of the Catholic Church. Peter Abelard, John Wycliffe, Jan Hus and Peter Waldo were all great minds of the Middle Ages who contributed to the fall of the dominant Catholic Church and the rise of Protestantism. Although they were considered heretics, they set precedents for future reformers and gave cultural importance to their new beliefs and ideas. The spiritual reform known as the Waldensian movement was led by a wealthy merchant and a self-taught theologian named Peter Waldo. According to HubPages, Waldo "experienced a religious epiphany that drove him to take a vow of poverty and preach the gospel" (Who was Peter Waldo?). Shortly after his religious epiphany in 1170, Waldo renounced all worldly possessions in a form of asceticism and began his journey to becoming the ideal Christian (Peter Waldo. World History in Context). Waldo helped translate the first vernacular Bible in Europe, emphasized personal interpretation of the Bible, believed in the Holy Trinity and resurrection, and rejected original Catholic beliefs in purgatory and papal supremacy (Infoplease). His belief in expressing his thoughts led to his condemnation in the Third Lateran Council of 1179 and his excommunication in 1184 (Institute of Christian History). Waldo retreated to remote areas of the Alps in......middle of paper......coln Library of essential information online. Lincoln Lib. P, 2012. Web. May 28, 2014."Rick Steves? Europe: Prague and the Czech Republic." Classroom videos on request. Films Media Group, 2002. Web. May 28, 2014. Smahel, Frantisek. "Jan Hus: Heretic or Patriot?" History Today 40 (1990): 27+.Student resources in context. Network. May 28, 2014.Thomson, S. Harrison. "Hus, John (c. 1369–1415)." Encyclopedia of philosophy. Ed. Donald M. Borchert. 2nd edition. vol. 4. Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, 2006. 519-520. US history in context. Network. 28 May 2014. Guglielmo, Giuseppe. "Hussites." The Catholic Encyclopedia. vol. 7. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1910. May 28, 2014. Wilhelm, Joseph. "Jan Hus." The Catholic Encyclopedia. vol. 7. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1910. May 29 2014.