Perry #7: Erasmus, "In Praise of Folly"

Erasmus reveals how far religious people have strayed from original teachings. He attacks the theologians, monks, and various forms of piety, saying that they are not acting as they were intended too.

The theologians, who are meant to support and understand the teachings of the Church, are instead attacking those who think differently. they often call these people heretics, "For this is the thunderbolt they always keep ready at a moments notice to terrify anyone whom they are not very favorably inclined..."

The monks, who are supposed to be charitable and kind to everyone, demand donation for the monastery. They can keep a very accurate count of the prayers they say, but cannot understand the meaning of them.

The saints are meant to be a guide to everyone on earth, but, though not through their own fault, are being worshipped and idolized in hopes that they will bestow blessings and good luck upon the worshippers.

Donations of money should be gestures of charity and love towards the Church, but many people mistake them as a "Get out of jail free pass" for their sins. if they have been leading a very sinful life recently, they simply give a small amount of money to a church and assume that all their sins are forgiven so that they may begin anew.

Timothy Bulso

Palmer #8- New Monarchies

Palmer #8- New Monarchy

Will Stewart

“Describe the origins, nature, and accomplishments of the New Monarchies in a) England, b) France, c) Spain, d) the Holy Roman Empire.”

Thesis: During the late 15^th century, new monarchies rose to power in England, France, Spain, and the Holy Roman Empire driven by a desire to consolidate the state.

A) England

a. Tudors (1485-1603)

i. Henry VII (1485-1509)

ii. Put an end to turbulence caused by War of the Roses

iii. Star Chamber- authority of king and council

iv. Consolidated nationalism in England

b. New laws

i. Livery and Maintenance- private lords not allowed to keep armies anymore

ii. No more juries- now a panel of judges

B) France

a. Valois line

b. Louis XI (1461-1483)

i. Built up royal army

ii. Expanded French borders

iii. Suppressed nobles

1. Far greater power to raise taxes independently

c. Relationship with clergy

i. Monarchy appointed clergy within France

ii. Pragmatic Sanction of 1438- Gallican church became much more independent

C) Spain

a. Nature of kingdom

i. 2 main separate kingdoms- Aragon and Castile

ii. Joined in marriage of Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabella of Castile in 1469

iii. Little to no Spanish nationalism

1. Even different languages

b. Unity

i. Belonging to Spanish Catholic church

ii. National pride from reconquista

c. Inquisition

i. Expulsion of Jews and Moors

ii. People became false Christians

iii. Threat of torture

D) Holy Roman Empire (Germany)

a. Nature of kingdom

i. Three kinds of states

1. Princely states- each a small hereditary dynastic monarchy

2. Ecclesiastical states- bishop or abbot controlled government

3. Imperial states

ii. States had prevented emperor from gaining large amounts of power

b. Habsburgs

i. Archduke of Austria came to power in 1452

ii. In power from 1452-1806

iii. Increased size of empire greatly

In Praise of Folly

In Praise of Folly

Desiderius Erasmus

Perry v.1

Thesis: Erasmus is said to have laid the egg Luther hatched, despite the fact that Erasmus was a monk in the Catholic Church and Luther, the leader of the protestant reformation. Erasmus never acknowledged this claim, perhaps for this very reason, however it cannot be denied that the criticism, which Erasmus masterfully laid out, did not go unheard.

I. Theologians

a. Erasmus compares theologians to “a hornet’s nest”, as well as “stinkweed”

b. Erasmus criticizes the quibbling of theologians over certain usages of Greek and Latin, and the lack of attention paid to the actual moral lessons laid out in the Bible.

c. Those who disagree with theologians are immediately labeled as a “heretic”

II. Monks

a. The lack of reading aside from scripture is often seen as piety

b. Erasmus feels that many monks are obsessed with King George and all but praise the ornate decorations that his horse bears.

III. Pardons and Priests

a. The idea of confessing in order to lessen one’s time in purgatory and then measuring it out to the day and hour seems ridiculous to Erasmus

b. The priests and saints sometimes take away from the actual meaning of Christianity, by clouding peoples minds with rules and habits.

Palmer #7- Italian Renaissance vs. Northern Renaissance

Palmer #7- Italian Renaissance vs. Northern Renaissance
Will Stewart

“How did the Renaissance in Europe north of the Alps differ from the Renaissance in Italy?”

Thesis: Though the Italian Renaissance and the Northern Renaissance are similar in that they both signaled a break from the Middle Ages, they have several key differences that separate them.

1. General Trends
a. Northern Renaissance more gradual, less sudden than Italian
b. Although Latin and Greek underwent a revival, the modern languages began to take shape.
c. Northern Ren. more blend of old and new than Italian
i. Development of what had come before, rather than completely new ideas
d. Northern Ren. focused on human ability to understand and control nature
i. Merged with Italian idea of endless human potential

2. Religion
a. Religion far more pronounced in Northern Ren.
b. Christian humanists (North) vs. “pagan” humanists (Italy)
c. North studied Bible and religious texts far more than other classical texts read by Italians
d. Lay religion- religion outside of clergy
i. Previously when church needed reform they reformed from within
ii. Now groups outside clergy seek reform
1. Basis for Protestant Reformation
e. Mysticism
i. Italian Ren. religion based in art and publicity
ii. North Ren. religion more private and somber
iii. Mystics (Meister Eckhart, Thomas a Kempis, Nicholas of Cusa)
1. Individual soul could commune with God w/out church
2. Transcended social institutions
a. Martin Luther drew from this

3. Education & Innovation
a. Far more universities in North
i. 15th century Italy- no new universities
ii. 15th century Spain, France, Scotland, Scandinavia, Germany- lots of new universities
b. Germany
i. 1386-1506: 14 new German universities
ii. Gutenberg- printing press- first mass produced books
iii. Mathematical and scientific innovations
1. Copernicus found basis in these
2. Cartography took off
3. Revolutionized medicine

Shakespeare’s thoughts on Human Nature

William Shakespeare, often regarded as the world’s greatest playwright, contributed to the Renaissance spirit by expressing humanist ideals in his setting, diction and characters.

Hamlet- Passages on the nobility of a human being and the infinity of human faculties

Henry VIII, Macbeth, and Measure for Measure

-Passages on the dark side of life

-How man is great but there is always dark in the light of consciousness and knowledge

- “That age, ache, penury and imprisonment/ Can lay on nature is a paradise/ to what we fear of death” (M for M)

As You Like It

-Passage on the roles that each man plays in his life

-From infant to educated man a person goes through several stages of his life, gradually increasing his knowledge and responsibility

-Men learn from experiences in life and stages of life

A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Troilus and Cressida, The Two Gentleman of Verona, and The Two Gentleman of Verona

- Love oftentimes is able to conquer man’s wisdom

o “For to be wise and love/ Exceeds man’s might” (T and C)

- Appreciation of women for their looks as well as etiquette, manner, and fashion

Kempis "The Imitation of Christ"

Tomas a Kempis The Imitation of Christ

Thesis: Educated by the disciples of Groote during the spiritual reformation period known as the New Devotion, Thomas a Kempis reveals the character of the period in his work, The Imitation of Christ, which stresses practical Christian spirituality.

· When man began adhering to vanities and knowledge rather than spiritual grace, Kempis preached to his religious followers to imitate the life of Christ and despise all vanities on earth.

o To understand and enjoy the words and teachings of Christ, one must strive to conform his whole life to Him

§ Many people have little desire to gain knowledge about the Gospel because they lack the spirit of Christ

§ To follow the Lord and “not walk in the darkness” in order to receive enlightenment and freedom from all pride of the heart, we must adhere to God’s way of life

o Disposing of vanities except loving of God and the serving of God include:

§ To court honor and excel with pride

§ To follow desires of the body and lust for things which deserve severe punishment later

§ To wish for long life rather than well-spent life

§ To be concerned with present only and not make provisions for things to come

§ To love what passes quickly and not look ahead where eternal joy resides

o One must “try to turn your heart from the love of things visible and bring yourself to things invisible, for they who follow their own evil passions stain their consciences and lose the grace of God.”

o One must shun knowledge and accept that God is all powerful and honorable and will satisfy your soul for you

§ “Many words [from your vast knowledge] do not satisfy the soul; but a good life eases the mid and a clean conscience inspires great trust in God.”

§ Therefore, be humble in your life for you are always in the presence of God à never be proud of your skill, rather fear God because of the talent given to you

· For “All men are frail, but you must admit that none is more frail than yourself.”

§ A humble person who serves God is better than a proud intellectual who neglects his soul in order to study or led a purely secular life

§ However, if you wish to learn, learn how to be unknown and love to be unknown and become devout within the spiritual community without adhering to worldly obsessions or ideas

Francois Rabelais "Celebration of the Worldly Life"

Rabelais(c. 1495 - 1553) - French humanist, retired Benedictine monk, and a physician

Passage from Rabelais' book Gargantua and Pantagruel, in which he depicts a life at a fictional monastery that is directed by free will.

1. full length novel
2. uses satire and irony to capture attention of wide audience - proposes a more secular way of life and confidence in human nature
3. wants to make his readers think, rather then tell them whats right
4. attacks traditional monasticism as life-denying and sees worldly pleasure as a legitimate need and aim of human nature
5. Mix of Christianity and Reason - In the novel, the protagonist asks his son to try to understand both scripture and philosophy

Freedom

• In his perfect monastery, there is one rule: "Do What You Will"
• life was regulated by free will and pleasure
• Rabelais believed people who are free, well-born, and well-bred, and easy in honest company have a natural spur and instinct which drives them to virtuous deeds and deflects them from vice called honour
• He explains corruptness as misusing the gift of honour to "strive after thing forbidden and covet what is denied us"

Betterment of Education

• he stresses the importance of music, geometry, arithmetic, and being multilingual
• with heavy emphasis on the Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, he preaches it is "disgraceful for a man to call himself a scholar" without knowledge of at least one of them
• finds the philosophers Plato(Greek) and Cicero(Latin) the most influential
• believes that education will become increasingly available to all people - education can and will be used as a means of climbing social ladder

Shakespeare on the human condition

Through his work, Shakespeare conveys humanistic attitudes towards the condition of humanity and the nature of his emotion.

1. Nobility and supremacy of humanity, optimism about the human race
1. Hamlet – lauds humanity’s ability to reason, his boundless ambition, and his capacity to accomplish great things – “what a piece of work is man!”
2. Secular, worldly, fleeting, and materialistic view of life
1. Henry the Eighth – the best thing humans have is their greatness in life, because it will fade when one dies
2. Macbeth – life is brief and fleeting, with seemingly no purpose – “life’s but a walking shadow…signifying nothing”
3. Measure for Measure – life is better than the dark, dreary afterlife (rejecting Christian view of heaven/hell)
4. As You Like It – goal in life is to make an imprint on the world, not get to heaven, materialistic and worldly
3. Love is irrational and controlling – worldly focus on man’s emotion as opposed to God, love changes from a divine bond to a worldly adventure
1. A Midsummer Night’s Dream – love is deceiving and causes one to act irrationally – “The lunatic, the lover, and the poet are of imagination all compact”
2. Troilus and Cressida – It is impossible to reason with love and emotion – “to be wise and love exceeds man’s might”
3. As You Like It – love is madness – “love is merely a madness”

François Rabelais, "Celebration of the Worldly Life"

François Rabelais, "Celebration of the Worldly Life"

A Selection from Gargantua and Pantagruel

Perry Sourcebook, Vol. 1 [pp.299-301]

In his novel Gargantua and Pantagruel, the French Humanist Francois Rabelais (c. 1495-1553) criticizes the traditional, monastic worldview of the Middle Ages and advocates a more pragmatic, secular approach to life. This selection explains his ideal vision of a liberal education at a fictional monastary.

The Importance of Freedom

Like other humanists, Rabelais suggested that man is capable of making his own decisions

In his ideal monastery, there is only one codified rule: "Do what you will"

He concedes that men "covet what is denied [of them]," but argues that weact righteously if given free choices

Free Will Fosters Competition

In the monastery, freedom of choice encourages both competition and imitation

Each induvidual is compelled to borrow more successful and efficient ideas from others

This same pressure forces all the "citizens" to constantly improve their skills to remain capable members of the community

The monastery can be seen as a microcosm of the broader trends observed between Italian city-states -- intense competition brings out the best in all parties involved

Education Is Crucial

Speaking through the characters in the novel, Rabelais outlines why education is so important

He suggests that in the new, modern era, people of all walks of life (including women) will have a basic education

This implies a more pragmatic outlook, in which one takes full advantage of the immense educational opportunities available, in order to be a more capable citizen, and perhaps even to achieve social mobility.

A Classical, Yet Religious Perspective

The monastery teaches both classical languages (e.g. Greek and Latin) as well as Semitic languages (e.g. Hebrew), a balance between "Pagan" and Christian learning

The main character in the novel advises his son to master languages first as a means by which to understand both the scripture and classical philosophy

[In fact, reading scriptures in Hebrew as opposed to Latin is a more progressive suggestion than what "modern" Christians embrace today]

He also suggests that the humanist of tomorrow understand the natural order of the universe through math and science

Implications

The Spread of Humanism: humanism was now spreading into Northern Europe

New Forms of Education: education became increasingly more progressive

The Rise of Literature: Rabelais' book was, in fact, a full-length novel. He utilized satiricial and even bawdy humor for the sole purpose of entertainment, suggesting a new understanding of writing itself.

Balancing Christianity and Humanism: Rabelais, like other Northern Humanists, was more tied to his religious background than most Italian humanists; his writings suggest a balance between the two forces that dominate his worldview

The Imitation of Christ (Late Medieval Attempts to Reform the Church)

Thesis: Gerard Groote (1340-1384) argues that only through a proper imitation of Christ’s behavior and a humble devotion to God for one to achieve true spiritual freedom and peace

1. Fake Religion is useless
a. There is no use in learning about the Trinity if you lack love for God and humility
b. Great Knowledge of the Bible is pointless without grace and faith
c. Try to break free of natural earthly inclinations, which displease God
d. If one truly wants to understand Christ one must strive to conform one’s life to him

2. God rewards the valiant
a. Be dead to yourself, so you can enjoy God
b. God aids those who struggle against their sins

3. Meditation on Death
a. Always be ready to die, for you do not know when the time will come
b. Live how you wish to be found at death
c. Contempt of the world, penance, the love of discipline, ready obedience, self-denial, and bearing trials for Christ’s sake will lead to a happy death
d. Never be unprepared for death

4. Intellect is dangerous
a. Many have fallen away from the faith for trying to understand things above their comprehension
b. God enjoys simple, undoubting faith
c. Those who try to search into the majesty of God will be overwhelmed with its glory
d. Submit yourself to God alone