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What is Erasmus most famous for?
Erasmus, in full Desiderius Erasmus, (born October 27, 1469 [1466?], Rotterdam, Holland [now in the Netherlands]—died July 12, 1536, Basel, Switzerland), Dutch humanist who was the greatest scholar of the northern Renaissance, the first editor of the New Testament, and also an important figure in patristics and ...
What was Erasmus of Rotterdam known for?
Who Was Erasmus? Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam was one of Europe's most famous and influential scholars. A man of great intellect who rose from meager beginnings to become one of Europe's greatest thinkers, he defined the humanist movement in Northern Europe.
What was Erasmus masterpiece?
Erasmus' writings rank him as one of the greatest scholars of his time. His masterpiece, 'Colloquia' - a critical text about Church abuses - appeared in 1519. He criticized with witty satire the ignorance of the clergy, and their over-reliance on ceremonies, and their neglect of charity and the study of the Bible.
What did Erasmus value most?
He embraced the humanistic belief in an individual's capacity for self-improvement and the fundamental role of education in raising human beings above the level of brute animals. The thrust of Erasmus' educational programme was the promotion of docta pietas, learned piety, or what he termed the “philosophy of Christ”.
What did Erasmus do in the Renaissance?
Desiderius Erasmus was one of the leading activists and thinkers of the European Renaissance. His main activity was to write letters to the leading statesmen, humanists, printers, and theologians of the first three and a half decades of the sixteenth century.
What are three facts about Erasmus?
ErasmusDied of dysentary in 1536.Considered to have rescued theology from the pedantries (formalism) of Schoolmen.Revered for exposing the abuses of the Church.Believed to have done more than any other single person to advance the "Revival of Learning."
Which among the following book was written by Erasmus?
The name of the book written by Desiderius Erasmus was 'In Praise of Folly'.
Who wrote the 95 theses?
Martin LutherDie 95 Thesen / AuthorMartin Luther OSA was a German priest, theologian, author and hymnwriter. A former Augustinian friar, he is best known among Christians as the seminal figure in the Protestant Reformation and as the namesake of Lutheranism. Wikipedia
Who wrote The Praise of Folly?
Desiderius ErasmusPraise of Folly; and Letter to Martin Dorp, 1515 / Author
Why is Erasmus called Erasmus?
Origins of the name The programme is named after the Dutch philosopher, theologian, Renaissance Humanist, monk, and devout Roman Catholic, Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam, called "the crowning glory of the Christian humanists".
Who is a famous humanist?
Many scientists were and are humanists. Some, such as Sir Arthur Keith (1866-1955), Scottish scientist and anthropologist J B S Haldane, Sigmund Freud, Sir Julian Huxley and John Maynard Smith did much in the 20th century to spread understanding of science, of human nature and of evolution.
What was Erasmus's life like?
Erasmus's life changed dramatically when he became secretary for Henry de Bergen, bishop of Chambray, who was impressed with his skill in Latin. The bishop enabled Erasmus to travel to Paris, France, to study classical literature and Latin, and it was there that he was introduced to Renaissance humanism.
Who was Erasmus in Paris?
While in Paris, Erasmus became known as an excellent scholar and lecturer. One of his pupils, William Blunt, Lord Montjoy, established a pension for Erasmus, allowing him to adopt a life of an independent scholar moving from city to city tutoring, lecturing and corresponding with some of the most brilliant thinkers of Europe. In 1499, he traveled to England and met Thomas More and John Colet, both of whom would have a great influence on him. Over the next 10 years, Erasmus divided his time between France, the Netherlands and England, writing some of his best works.
How did Erasmus die?
On July 12, 1536, during preparations for a move to the Netherlands, Erasmus fell ill and died from an attack of dysentery. Though he remained loyal to the Church of Rome, he did not receive last rites, and there is no evidence that he asked for a priest.
What happened to Erasmus after his parents died?
After his parents died in 1483 from the plague, Erasmus was put into the care of guardians, who were adamant about him becoming a monk. While he gained a personal relationship with God, he rejected the harsh rules and strict methods of the religious teachers of the time.
What was the humanist movement in Northern Europe?
A man of great intellect who rose from meager beginnings to become one of Europe's greatest thinkers, he defined the humanist movement in Northern Europe. His translation to Greek of the New Testament brought on a theological revolution, and his views on the Reformation tempered its more radical elements.
What is Jan Vermeer best known for?
Dutch Golden-Age artist Jan Vermeer is best known for his Delft paintings, including 'The Love Letter' and 'View of Delft,' and his 'pearl pictures,' like 'Girl with a Pearl Earring.'
Where was Erasmus born?
Most historians believe that he was born Gerard Gerardson in 1466 (with many noting his probable birthdate as October 27) in Rotterdam, Holland. His father, believed to be Roger Gerard, was a priest, and his mother was named Margaret, the daughter of a physician. He was christened with the name "Erasmus," meaning "beloved.".
What did Erasmus do in the Reformation?
In politics, Erasmus embraced consensus, compromise, and peaceful cooperation, ideals he recommended to the participants in the Reformation debate, albeit with little success. Considered a forerunner of the Reformation by his contemporaries, he broke with Martin Luther over the latter’s sectarianism.
Where did Erasmus go to school?
In 1495 he saw a chance to realize this goal when Bishop Hendrik of Bergen sent him to the Collège de Montaigu in Paris and promised him financial support. It is uncertain how much, if any, theological training Erasmus received during his brief stay at the college.
What is Desiderius Erasmus' philosophy?
Erasmus’ views on these subjects are of interest to historians today, even if they are unstructured, because his works circulated widely and his influence in Northern Europe was pervasive. In modern parlance, he was an opinion maker. If a general label is needed, Erasmus’ thought is best described as “Christian Humanism”, that is, a philosophy of life combining Christian thought with classical traditions. He embraced the humanistic belief in an individual’s capacity for self-improvement and the fundamental role of education in raising human beings above the level of brute animals. The thrust of Erasmus’ educational programme was the promotion of docta pietas, learned piety, or what he termed the “philosophy of Christ”. As a biblical scholar he supported the humanistic call Ad fontes, a return to the texts in the original language and therefore promoted the study of the biblical languages Hebrew, Greek, and Latin. He was in the vanguard of modern philology. His pioneering edition of the Greek New Testament shows that he had an understanding of the process of textual transmission and had developed text-critical principles. In politics, Erasmus embraced consensus, compromise, and peaceful cooperation, ideals he recommended to the participants in the Reformation debate, albeit with little success. Considered a forerunner of the Reformation by his contemporaries, he broke with Martin Luther over the latter’s sectarianism. More fundamentally, the two men disagreed over heuristics and engaged in a polemic over the question of free will. Erasmus took a skeptical position vis-à-vis Luther’s assertions. Unlike the reformer, he did not believe in the clarity of Scripture and used consensus and tradition as criteria to settle questions that did not allow a rational conclusion. Erasmus rarely ventured into doctrinal questions, however, favoring simple faith and devotion over dialectics and scholastic speculation. The circulation of Erasmus’ works was temporarily curtailed when the Catholic Church put them on the Index of Forbidden Books, but his ideas saw a revival during the Enlightenment when he was regarded as a forerunner of rationalism. His most famous work, The Praise of Folly, has remained in print to the present day, a distinction shared by few books from the 16 th century.
What was Erasmus's first book?
In 1516, he published his magnum opus, an edition of the Greek New Testament, the first to reach the market. It anticipated the Complutensian Polyglot, which was already in print but still awaiting the papal imprimatur. Thus Erasmus found success in four different genres: literature, education, religion, and theology.
What was Erasmus's lament about the decline of monasticism?
Ostensibly a praise of monastic life, it began by recommending seclusion and withdrawal from the world but ended in a lament about the decline of monasticism and a warning to postulants not to take the vows rashly. Erasmus himself discovered that he was constitutionally and psychologically unsuited to the monastic life.
Why did Erasmus move to Basel?
Erasmus’ move from Leuven to Basel in 1521 was partly motivated by a desire to escape the hostile climate at the University of Leuven, but his opponents were not limited to the Low Countries. He had critics in Italy and was formally investigated by ecclesiastical authorities in Spain and in France.
What was Erasmus's influence on the Enlightenment?
The circulation of Erasmus’ works was temporarily curtailed when the Catholic Church put them on the Index of Forbidden Books, but his ideas saw a revival during the Enlightenment when he was regarded as a forerunner of rationalism.
What did Erasmus do?
In 1512, he began his work on this Latin New Testament. He collected all the Vulgate manuscripts he could find to create a critical edition. Then he polished the language. He declared, "It is only fair that Paul should address the Romans in somewhat better Latin." In the earlier phases of the project, he never mentioned a Greek text:
Who was Erasmus in the Renaissance?
Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus ( / ˌdɛzɪˈdɪəriəs ɪˈræzməs /; English: Erasmus of Rotterdam; 28 October 1466 – 12 July 1536) was a Dutch philosopher and Christian scholar who is considered to have been one of the greatest scholars of the northern Renaissance.
What did Luther write in response to Erasmus's comments?
In response, Luther wrote his De servo arbitrio ( On the Bondage of the Will, 1525), which attacks the "Diatribe" and Erasmus himself, going so far as to claim that Erasmus was not a Christian. Erasmus responded with a lengthy, two-part Hyperaspistes (1526–27).
What were the social disorders that Erasmus dreaded and Luther disassociated himself from?
As the popular response to Luther gathered momentum, the social disorders, which Erasmus dreaded and Luther disassociated himself from, began to appear, including the German Peasants' War, the Anabaptist disturbances in Germany and in the Low Countries, iconoclasm, and the radicalization of peasants across Europe.
What did Erasmus say about Luther?
Noting Luther's criticism of the Catholic Church, Erasmus described him as "a mighty trumpet of gospel truth" while agreeing, "It is clear that many of the reforms for which Luther calls are urgently needed.". He had great respect for Luther, and Luther spoke with admiration of Erasmus's superior learning.
How did Erasmus synchronize the Greek and Latin traditions of the New Testament?
In a way it is legitimate to say that Erasmus "synchronized" or "unified" the Greek and the Latin traditions of the New Testament by producing an updated translation of both simultaneously. Both being part of canonical tradition, he clearly found it necessary to ensure that both were actually present in the same content. In modern terminology, he made the two traditions "compatible". This is clearly evidenced by the fact that his Greek text is not just the basis for his Latin translation, but also the other way round: there are numerous instances where he edits the Greek text to reflect his Latin version. For instance, since the last six verses of Revelation were missing from his Greek manuscript, Erasmus translated the Vulgate's text back into Greek. Erasmus also translated the Latin text into Greek wherever he found that the Greek text and the accompanying commentaries were mixed up, or where he simply preferred the Vulgate's reading to the Greek text.
Why did Erasmus use Greek manuscripts?
Erasmus used several Greek manuscript sources because he did not have access to a single complete manuscript. Most of the manuscripts were, however, late Greek manuscripts of the Byzantine textual family and Erasmus used the oldest manuscript the least because "he was afraid of its supposedly erratic text.".
Life and Works
Methodology
- During his lifetime Erasmus’ name became synonymous withhumanism, a label also adopted in modern reference works (such asNauert 2006). Today the term “humanist” has a broad rangeof meanings. In the 16th century the word denoted a studentor teacher of the studia humanitatis, a curriculum focusingon the study of classical languages, rhetoric, and literature. Atnorthern unive…
Educational Philosophy
- Erasmus earned his living as a teacher for only a few years, buteducation remained a lifelong interest and a central theme in hiswritings (see especially Margolin 1995). Erasmus expressed confidencein the potential of human beings for self-improvement, a corollary ofhis acceptance of free will. He believed in the preponderance ofnurture over nature, given the power of the will. It w…
Language and Literature
- The formation and correct use of language was a primary concern forErasmus (as in Boyle 1977). He wrote several works that would seem toprovide a starting point for a philosophy of language. Indeed, hedevoted a treatise to the subject of language (De Lingua, TheTongue, 1525), but no systematic thought on the nature, origin, orfunction of language e...
Political Thought
- Scholars investigating Erasmus’ political thought generallyconsider the Institutio Principis Christiani (The Educationof a Christian Prince, 1516) and the Panegyricus (Panegyric,1504 ) the main sources for his ideals (see Tracy 1978). For his viewson the legitimacy of warfare, they draw on the Querela Pacis(The Complaint of Peace, 1517) and the adage Dulce BellumInexpertis (Wa…
Pietas and Philosophia Christi
- The term philosophia Christi , the philosophy of Christ,first appears in patristic writings. It is an aspect of the largerconcept of pietas, the moral conscience governing the properrelationship between individual and God as well as the individual andsociety. A central tenet in Erasmus’ spiritual writings,pietasthus straddles the subjects of theology andphilosophy. The main source…