The renaissance and the reformation are often described as eras that had many great advancements. in your opinion, what were the most important changes and advancements that occurred? how did those changes impact european culture, politics, or religion? would you say that the renaissance and reformation was a time of progress in europe? why or why not?

The Middle Ages is considered by many historians a time period of ignorance, where little or no advancements took place. The church was the center of attention, and instead of a philosophical view of the world, beliefs were centered around superstitions. On the other hand, the rebirth of education and advancements that followed the Middle Ages and was labeled as the Renaissance.
There have been arguments as to whether the Renaissance is actually a separate time period, or instead, just a high point of the Middle Ages. The Renaissance was definitely a distinct era. Inspiration from the ancient Greek and Roman people led to humanism beliefs and encouraged man to become multi-talented. Therefore, the Renaissance man, a man who excelled in many areas, became prominent.
Also, the ideals of the people changed, and religion no longer ruled their lives. Advancements in all aspects of life virtually improved. Thus, many aspects lead to the change from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance, a time period that was undoubtedly distinct from the Middle Ages. 
A great source would be from this website: http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/english/melani/cs6/ren.html