1 / 12

Northern Renaissance Humanism: Catalyst for Reformation

Explore the Northern Humanists' focus on classics and early Christianity, emphasizing reform and education to improve society. Learn about Erasmus and Thomas More's influential works. Discover the reasons for the Church's failure and the rise of the Reformation.

rblaker
Download Presentation

Northern Renaissance Humanism: Catalyst for Reformation

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. SPIELVOGEL CHAPTER 13 REFORMATION AND RELIGIOUS WARFARE IN THE 16TH CENTURY

  2. PRELUDE TO REFORMATION • The second half of the 15th century – • Italian Renaissance humanism spreads to N. Europe • Northern Humanism = Christian Humanism • Goal of N. Humanism = reform Christianity

  3. CHRISTIAN OR NORTHERN RENAISSANCE HUMANISM • Both Italian and N. Humanists focused on the study of the classics – • Ancient Greek and Latin texts • Return to the writings of antiquity

  4. NORTHERN HUMANISTS • Study the sources and writings of early Christianity • Study the writings of church fathers • Early Christianity was a simple religion • Human beings can reason and improve themselves • Education and study of early church writings could reform the church and society • Support for schools • Work on new editions and translations of the classics, the bible, and writings of church founders • Education = improved people = improved society

  5. ERASMUS • most influential of the N. Humanists • Born in Holland – called Erasmus of Rotterdam • Reform program of Christian Humanism • “the philosophy of Christ” = Christianity should guide our daily life, not only be a system of beliefs and practices • Emphasized – inner piety • De-emphasized – external forms of religion • Prepared new and accurate text of the bible • The Praise of Folly – 1. written in 1511 2. humorously criticized corruption of society 3. criticized abuses in the church

  6. Desiderius Erasmus

  7. “ERASMUS LAID THE EGG THAT LUTHER HATCHED”

  8. THOMAS MORE • trained in the law • Interested in the new classical learning –> studied Greek and Latin • Put his learning into service to the state -> govt official/lord chancellor • religiously devoted/believed in the universal Catholic Church • Refused to go along with Henry VIII’s break with the Catholic Church • Executed for treason for not cooperating with the king’s break with Catholicism

  9. THOMAS MORE I die the king's faithful servant, but God's first.Thomas More

  10. UTOPIA • Written in 1516 • The word utopia = nowhere • An imaginary perfect society on an island near the new world • Cooperation and reason replace power and fame as motivators • All people work the same amount and receive the same • Wholesome, enriching, and orderly world will create good people

  11. CHURCH AND RELIGION ON THE EVE OF THE REFORMATION • Why did people want to reform the Catholic Church – • failure of the renaissance papacy to provide spiritual leadership • popes too concerned with wealth and art • Popes too concerned with worldly power and politics • Popes too concerned with sensuality and debauchery • Popes and church too concerned with money and finances • Simony • Pluralism • Absenteeism • Clerical immorality • Clerical ignorance

  12. FAILURE OF THE CHURCH TO MEET SPIRITUAL NEEDS LEADS TO - • Mechanical/external approach to salvation veneration of relics buying indulgences • The Modern Devotion movement popular mystical movement following the teaching of Jesus

More Related