Download Desiderius Erasmus (c

Desiderius Erasmus (c. 1466-1536).
Writers describe Erasmus as "the crowning glory of the Christian humanists" or "the
prince of humanists." He was born an illegitimate child in Rotterdam to a woman of a
good Dutch family and a priest. His father died of plague. Erasmus studied in Deventer
where his intelligence thrilled his teachers. In 1481, he studied in a monastery school but
he felt the time there wasted At18 he entered a monastery so he could eat. In 1493, he
went to Paris to continue his studies. His studies in Paris created a distaste for theology so
he left to enter the University of Cologne in 1496. Two years later, he returned to Paris to
tutor Englishmen. This tutoring led to an invitation to study Greek with Colet in England.
While in England, Erasmus found himself a favorite at court. Later, when Erasmus's
views caused him trouble, Henry VIII offered him bed and board in the English court.
Erasmus' satirical writings stand out during the period. His Praise of Folly ridiculed
Papal abuses. He argues that life is folly. He successfully illustrated the necessity of folly
and the foolishness of wisdom. His satire ran on at the expense of monks, friars,
inquisitors, cardinals, and Popes. Julius Exclusus proved even more vitriolic. In this skit,
the reader finds a dialogue between Pope Julius II, known as the "Warrior Pope," and
Peter. Julius died in 1513 and the satire appeared in 1514. The dead warrior appears at
heaven's gates only to find them closed to him. What follows is hilarious to the Protestant
reader and embarrassing for Catholics. Erasmus also produced devotional writings and
commentaries emphasizing his view of the Christian life.
Like many mystics, Erasmus emphasized inner experience over external devotional forms
and ceremonies. He scoffed at the relic cult and rejected many miracles attributed to
saints, particularly those of Thomas a' Becket, an English cleric. He labeled monastic
orders superstitious and contentious. He considered the church's dietary restrictions a new
form of Pharisee-ism. He rejected the Mass as a repetition of Christ's death along with
transubstantiation as descriptive of Christ's presence in the Eucharist. On the whole,
though, Erasmus tended to be a peacemaker and unidiomatic. At first he supported
Luther's reforms, then opposed them as too schismatic.
Were it not for the secular Renaissance and its liberty of thought, the Protestant
Reformation probably would have waited.