Was the Renaissance a true period of change, or solely a 'PreRenaissance'?

The only unequivocal statement regarding the Renaissance is that it brought about change, but beyond that point nothing else is certain. There are two diametrically opposed viewpoints: the Renaissance or that of the notion of PreRenaissance. The former being supported and undisputed until the 1920s, by that of Jacob Burckhardt; while the PreRenaissance initiative is Lynn Thorndike's rather modern notion. It is generally agreed upon that the Renaissance came about due to urbanization, departure from …

…to as ancient Greece and Rome. Friedrich Nietzsche had said, "There are no facts, only interpretations." On the issue at hand, there are only interpretations, yet the bulk of them are one sided and point to the Burckhardtian Prerenaissance theory. These ideas are expressed by the leading Prerenaissance supporters; Haskins, Gilson, and Thorndike and explore the multiple facets and similarities of both the Middle Ages and that of the time period commonly called the "Renaissance."