The doctrine of Erasmus of Rotterdam is an example of the so-called Trans-Alpine humanism. Many believe that the term "Renaissance" can be applied to Northern Europe only with a great deal of conventionality. In any case, this direction was not very similar to the Italian Renaissance. The humanists of Northern Europe tried not so much to revive the traditions of antiquity as to understand what the essence of Christianity is. Most of their free time, they studied not Plato and Aristotle, but the Bible. Therefore, the “Transalpine Renaissance” is characterized by the features of another phenomenon - the Reformation. But most of the representatives of this Northern Renaissance (as, for example, the humanist Erasmus of Rotterdam), with all their criticism of the Roman Catholic Church, did not go to the Protestant camp. Moreover, they wanted to reform the denomination to which they belonged, but a complete break with it frightened them. Erasmus of Rotterdam is known as the creator of a new theological system, where he tried to answer the question of what human obligations to God should be and what place morality holds in all this.
Who is Erasmus of Rotterdam?
Briefly about this outstanding person we can say the following. He was the illegitimate son of a priest and the daughter of a doctor, and was born in a suburb of Rotterdam under the name Gouda. Hence his nickname, as was customary in those days. So called clergy, mainly monks - by name and place of birth. Since his parents died early, the guardians persuaded the young man to take the tonsure. But since it was not his choice, monasticism was hard on the future philosopher. Even before taking the vows, he was familiar with ancient classics, which struck his imagination. Education helped him change his biography. One of the bishops needed a Latin secretary. Erasmus was able to take this place and with the help of his boss leave an ascetic life. Nevertheless, he was always distinguished by deep religiosity. Erasmus traveled a lot. He had the opportunity to study at the Sorbonne. There he pretended to study theology, but in fact he studied Latin literature. Erasmus of Rotterdam dreamed of Bible study. But for this it was necessary to learn the Greek language. This future philosopher took up seriously. He also visited England, where he met Thomas More, and spoke with humor and positive about the customs there.
Start of activity
The views of Erasmus of Rotterdam began to form in Oxford. There he met admirers of ancient antiquities, who carried him into his circle. When the future scientist returned to Paris in the 1550s, he first published a book on Greek and Latin aphorisms. Subsequently, she survived several reprints. The life of a scientist received a new impetus. Now for Erasmus there were two goals - to popularize the ancient authors in their homeland and publish a reliable text of the New Testament, translated from Greek. Theology was not his main skate. The doctrine of Erasmus of Rotterdam was, rather, moral and philosophical. He worked so hard that his contemporaries wondered how one person could write so much. He creates scientific works, popular journalism and hundreds of translations of Latin Greek manuscripts into Latin. About two thousand of his letters to friends alone were preserved.
Writing major works
After graduating from the Sorbonne, Erasmus has to live in cramped circumstances. He often travels from Paris to the Netherlands and back, lives in Leuven, Orleans, is improving in the study of Greek. It was during these years that Erasmus of Rotterdam wrote The Weapon of the Christian Warrior. This book became the basis of his teaching, although another work brought popularity to the philosopher. In it, he seems to echo the main motive of the Italian Renaissance. The main idea of ​​this work is that the light of Christianity must be combined with the achievements of ancient antiquity. In 1506, he went to Italy, where he spent about three years. Here he manages to obtain a doctorate, visit Venice and Rome. In 1509, Erasmus again left for England, where he was invited by Thomas More, who at that time was Chancellor of King Henry the Eighth. The latter, while still a prince, was also friends with the philosopher and revered him very much. For some time, the hero of our story taught in Cambridge. In England, Erasmus wrote his most famous work, the humorous Praise of Nonsense, which features characters such as the learned donkey and the wise jester. This book was printed in Paris in 1511, and since then its author has become a real star of the then Europe.
Basel the Hermit
Another crowned admirer of Erasmus - Emperor Karl Fifth - appointed him as his adviser with a good salary and the absence of any duties. This allowed the philosopher to completely surrender to his beloved business and travels. A few years later he manages to realize his cherished dream. In Basel comes the fruit of his many years of work - the Greek text of the Gospel. True, biblical scholars argue that this publication also contains errors, but nevertheless it served as the basis for further critical study of the New Testament. Since then, many more books have been written by Erasmus of Rotterdam. His works at that time were mostly translations. Plutarch and Seneca, Cicero and Ovid, Origen and Ambrose, ancient poets, historians and Church Fathers - you can’t list everything. Although Erasmus constantly traveled between Switzerland, Freiburg and Besançon, he was called the “Basel Hermit”. Although already at that time he began to get sick, ailments did not prevent him from taking an active part in various intellectual discussions with contemporaries. For example, Erasmus of Rotterdam violently polemicized with Luther. The great reformer responded to the book “Basel Hermit” “On Freedom of Choice” with the work “On Slavery of Will”. None of them agreed with the opponent. The works of Erasmus of the Rotterdam Basel period are also treatises on a wide variety of topics. These are philological delights on how to pronounce Greek and Latin words correctly, and pedagogical reflections on the correct education of rulers, and essays on eternal peace, and the search for the unity of the Church, and even New Testament stories in a free retelling. The bloody events of the time of the Reformation horrified and pushed him away, but he remained unconvinced, always between two opposing camps. Erasmus of Rotterdam died in 1536, in the same Basel.
Humanist
Historians distinguish two generations of the German-Anglo-Dutch Renaissance. Erasmus of Rotterdam belonged to the youngest of them. His real homeland was not Holland, not France and not Germany, but his beloved antiquity. He knew her heroes as closely as his own friends. The humanism of Erasmus of Rotterdam was also manifested in the fact that he used science, literature and typography in order to have an unprecedented impact on the minds of people. For friendship with him the powers that be competed with him, and many cities offered him constant salary only for him to settle there. Kings, princes, and simply educated people turn to him for advice - both in the field of philosophy and politics. He probably knew Latin and ancient literature better than anyone else in Europe at that time, and his opinion on how to pronounce certain sounds in Greek texts became leading in universities.
Moralist, satirist, philosopher
Those works of Erasmus of Rotterdam, which brought him unprecedented popularity and worldwide fame, were written by him, in his own words, “there is nothing to do”. For example, “Praise of Stupidity” was published about forty times only during the author’s lifetime. This benevolent satire with some sarcasm was cheerful and positive - she did not scourge and did not undermine the foundations. Therefore, it enjoyed success with the authorities. But the author himself attached more importance to his books on pedagogy, in particular on the education of Christian sovereigns and teaching children languages. The top of his quest, he considered religious education. He called it the "philosophy of Christ." Its foundations were laid back in Oxford. There, together with other members of the circle of lovers of antiquity, it was Erasmus of Rotterdam who first formulated the foundations of Christian humanism. He outlined the main ideas of this teaching in one of his first books.
"Dagger of the Christian warrior"
What Erasmus wrote in his youth served as his guiding light for his whole life. The title of the book also has a deep meaning. This metaphor has often been used to describe the living conditions of a true believer. Every day he must go into battle, fight for his values, speak out against sins and temptations. To do this, Christianity must be simplified so that it becomes clear to everyone. Free him from the heavy scholastic robes that hide the essence. It is necessary to return to the ideals of early Christianity, to understand what exactly people who created the first communities believed in. We must adhere to strict moral rules that will allow us to lead a perfect life and help others. And finally, Christ himself must be imitated in order to be able to realize the ideas and commandments of Scripture. And for this it is necessary to correctly understand and interpret the Good News that the Savior brought, in all its simplicity, without scholastic distortions and excesses. This is the philosophy of Christ.
New Theology of Erasmus
It has already been said that this very prolific author left such a huge number of essays, treatises and books that for a long time every educated European, especially of noble origin, studied precisely on them. Indeed, Erasmus of Rotterdam became an example to follow for all civilized people of that era. The main ideas of his theological research also became the subject of study and admiration. The attention of contemporaries was attracted by the fact that the philosopher did not use traditional theological devices. Moreover, he strongly ridiculed the scholasticism even in Praise of Stupidity. And in other works, he did not favor her. The author criticizes her titles, methods, conceptual and logical apparatus, believing that in her learned philosophies Christianity is lost. All these pompous doctors with their barren and empty discussions are trying to replace God with various definitions.
The philosophy of Christ is free from all this. It is designed to replace all the problems sucked from the finger, so vehemently discussed in the scientific community, by ethical ones. To argue about what is happening in heaven is not at all the goal of theology. It should be engaged in earthly affairs, what people need. Turning to theology, man must find the answer to his most pressing questions. Erasmus considers the dialogues of Socrates an example of this type of reasoning. In his work “On the Benefits of Talking,” he writes that this ancient philosopher made wisdom go down from heaven and settle among people. That's right - in the game, among feasts and feasts - the sublime should be discussed. Such conversations take on a pious character. Wasn't the Lord communing with his disciples like that?
Mix of different traditions
Erasmus of Rotterdam often compares his satirical, ridiculous teachings with the "Silences of Alkviad" - ugly terracotta figures, inside of which are amazingly beautiful and proportional sculptures of the gods. This means that not all of his statements should be taken literally. If he says that the Christian faith is akin to stupidity, then the author should not be mistaken for an atheist. He simply believes that it is incompatible with the so-called scholastic wisdom. Indeed, it is in the period of “heavenly madness” that a person can unite with God, even for a brief moment. So Erasmus of Rotterdam justified an attempt to revise the ancient traditions in the Christian spirit. At the same time, he was far from having, like Luther, cross the Rubicon and discard the Church Fathers and Holy Tradition. On the other hand, like the reformers, he called for a return to the time of the apostles and disciples of the Savior. But the philosophy of Christ had its cornerstone. He was nevertheless a real Renaissance type of humanism. Yes, Erasmus denounces both the Catholic clergy and the monastic rank itself, which, according to the author, simply parasitizes on the name of Christ and on folly stupidity. He also (albeit veiledly) speaks of the inadmissibility of war and violence in the name of religion. But still, it cannot go beyond the framework of the Catholic tradition.
Christian humanism of Erasmus of Rotterdam
One of the main concepts in this new theology is purification. Yes, man is capable of becoming the center of the universe, as Italian humanists have called for. But in order to realize this ideal, he must simplify his faith, make it sincere and begin to imitate Christ. Then it will become what the Creator intended to become. But modern man Erasmus, as the author believed, as well as all the institutions created by him, including the state and the Church, are still very far from this ideal. Christianity is actually a continuation of the search for the best ancient philosophers. Did they not come up with the idea of ​​a universal religion that would lead to universal agreement? Christianity is simply the natural conclusion to their aspirations. Therefore, the Kingdom of Heaven in Erasmus's view is something like the Platonic Republic, where the Lord also took everything beautiful that the pagans did.
The author even expresses an idea, surprising for those times, that the spirit of Christianity is much wider than it is customary to talk about. And among the saints of God there are a lot of those whom the church did not rank among them. Erasmus of Rotterdam calls even his philosophy of Christ rebirth. By this he understands not only the restoration of the original purity of the church, but also the nature of man, which was originally created good. And for his sake, the Creator created this whole world, which we must enjoy. It should be said that not only the Catholic authors, but primarily Protestant thinkers expressed their disagreement with the ideas of Erasmus. Their discussion about the freedom and dignity of man is very instructive and suggests that each of them in his own way saw different facets of our nature.