Erasmus

Lived 1466-1536, one of the most influential of all Christian Humanists

Educated at one of the Schools of Brothers of the Common Life.

Wandered between many countries

• France, Germany, Switzerland, England, and Italy

Wrote Handbook of the Christian Knight

• This reflected his preoccupation with religion

Believed that the current translations of the bible contained errors, so he wrote a new translation based on the earliest available manuscripts and published Greek and Latin versions in 1516.

Wrote Annotations, a detailed commentary on the Vulgate Bible

His work on the New Testament was considered one of his greatest achievements, formed the basis for Martin Luther’s translation of the New Testament

Wrote The Praise of Folly, a criticism of the corrupt practices of society.

Never achieved the reform he aimed for, his moderate views were overtaken by the passions of the Reformation

Often said that “Erasmus laid the egg that Luther hatched”

Didn’t want to destroy the unity of the Church; he aimed for reform within the Church itself

• To him, reform meant spreading the understanding of the Philosophy of Jesus, providing education in the sources of Early Christianity, and common-sense criticisms of the Church.