what was the role of the Renaissance and Reformation upon Exploration and Conquest

The Renaissance introduced the philosophical idea of humanism, which advocated the belief that human problems, particularly the problems of civilization, could be solved by rationalism. It also sought to undermine the unquestioned authority of the Church by asserting that human beings were not inherently sinful, but were born basically good and with the potential to do great good. These ideas about human value also impacted the Reformation, encouraging Christians to develop a more direct relationship with God and questioning the Church's corrupt authority.
However, the Reformation did not discourage Christians from the belief that non-Christians were anything but savages or heathens. The conquest of the Americas was largely justified by the notion that non-Christians (i.e., indigenous peoples) required saving and were less worthy of respect than followers of Christ. These prejudices made it easier to slaughter, enslave, and displace native peoples.
In keeping with the humanist belief in the inherent goodness of people, some writers at the time opposed the abuses of indigenous people, including Montaigne who wrote about the issue in his essay "Of Cannibals" (1580).
Humanist ideas also propelled the studies of geography and the sciences. The first idea to be challenged was the notion that the Earth was flat. Later, proponents of the Scientific Revolution challenged the geocentric theory of the universe promoted by the Church, proving that the universe was heliocentric, or that the planets were organized with the sun at the center.
Thus, Renaissance ideas encouraged the curiosity that led to the exploration of the planet, but the Reformation, while challenging ideas about Church authority in Europe, did nothing to address the exploitation of indigenous peoples and, later, Africans captured to be slaves.