The programme encourages academic exchange and travel amongst those in higher education.
I did an Erasmus-funded year abroad in Germany and all I
actually knew about Erasmus back then was that he was supposedly pro travel and pro study. If you look up the Erasmus programme online, the reason
behind choosing Erasmus as the name of the scheme becomes obvious:
"The Programme is named
after the Dutch philosopher Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam, known as an
opponent of dogmatism, who lived and worked in many places in Europe
to expand his knowledge and gain new insights, and who left his fortune
to the University of Basel in Switzerland" (Wikipedia entry)
"He studied at diverse
European universities and described the education as a chance for
modern people." (Erasmus
Student Network)
As I have recently learned that he was also an important Renaissance
theologian, I find it particularly interesting that the Wikipedia entry
describes him as a philosopher rather than a theologian.
The words "knowledge" and "insight" are cleverly neutral ways of talking about gaining theological understanding. The only slight hint at his involvement in theology is the description of what he stood against i.e. dogmatism.
The words "knowledge" and "insight" are cleverly neutral ways of talking about gaining theological understanding. The only slight hint at his involvement in theology is the description of what he stood against i.e. dogmatism.
It is hardly surprising that the EU does not wish to be seen
as condoning a theological viewpoint, but I am interested in what else he stood
for – apart from travel and
education.
Erasmus’s background
Desiderius Erasmus was born in the Netherlands in the late
1460s. His father was a priest and his parents never married, meaning that Erasmus
was born out of wedlock. Despite this, he was looked after by both parents, who
died of plague in 1483. Erasmus seemed to be ashamed of his origins and didn’t talk about them much. He was
educated at the highest standard available, enjoying monastic or semi-monastic
schooling with his big brother at Latin schools. He also began to learn Greek
at school, which was to be of great importance in his later life.
Despite the tough rules and strict, religious methods used
there, Erasmus developed an understanding of the importance of a personal relationship with God. In his early
20s he was poor and parentless so became a Canon in Stein (southern Holland),
entering the Catholic priesthood aged 25 – although it does not appear that he
was active as a priest for any significant period of time.
FUN FACT
Erasmus of Rotterdam only lived in Rotterdam for 4 years and never returned.
A few years later, in 1495, he was permitted to study in
Paris and was offered funding. It was here that he developed a friendship with Andrelini,
a prominent humanist. One important
element of Renaissance
humanism was the movement that sought to communicate with a wide
audience of citizens (rather than exclusively academics) and persuade them to act virtuously and
prudently.
He spent much time in England, holding a Chair at Queens’
College, Cambridge. Most notably, he was influenced by John Colet, whose Bible
teaching and emphasis on the Patristics (church
fathers) spurred him on to perfect his Greek. He studied Greek intensively for
three years, constantly writing to friends to ask for books or money for
lessons, so that he could prepare a new translation of the New Testament.
After spending time in Turin, Venice and Leuven, he
eventually went to Basel, where he enjoyed freedom from the heavy criticism he had endured from
academics and clerics at Leuven.
It was in Basel that he developed a lasting association with
the publisher Johann Froben, who encouraged him to produce and publish the first Greek New
Testament in the West for over 1000 years. It was an interlinear
publication, printed in two columns: the Greek text on the left; the new Latin
translation completed by Erasmus on the right.
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| Photo credit: Wikipedia Commons |
FUN FACT
At one point, Erasmus was corresponding with more than 500 men involved in politics and academia.
Prior to producing this parallel version, Erasmus had long
been working on collating Greek texts and polishing
existing Latin texts. He is quoted as saying “It is only fair that Paul should
address the Romans in somewhat better
Latin”. It is thought that he included the Greek text so as to allow
readers to verify the quality of his Latin version.
The first edition was printed in 1516, with second and third
editions following in 1519 and 1522 respectively. Various other editions were
also published and the number of copies sold altogether was around 3,300.
His versions of the New Testament were used as the basis for Luther’s German translation
(1522) and Tyndale’s English translation. Because of this, he was blamed by
many in the Catholic Church for setting up Luther (and others) for the Reformation
movement in Europe.
Ersamus’s theology
Erasmus was a big believer in the importance of church
tradition (the existing teaching of the church), seeing it as a useful tool to helping
ward off “innovation” (new, added doctrine). He critiqued Luther’s slogan “sola scriptura”, suggesting that its
implication was that the one pure interpretation of scripture was in
Wittenberg.
Erasmus stood by the doctrine of Mary's perpetual virginity, citing unwritten sacred tradition is "just
as valid a source of revelation as the Bible". He also agreed with the
doctrine of transubstantiation (the
doctrine that the bread and wine of the Eucharist are miraculously turned into the
substance of Christ himself).
Erasmus was a strong believer in the doctrine of free will. In his writings on the
subject, he prioritised the justice and liberality of God towards humankind
over the control and power held by God over creation. He argued that God's
foreknowledge is due to his intimate
knowledge of his creations and not due to predestination; God’s will and
actual events are not always the same. He also argued that without free will,
the commandments etc. are worthless and God is just mean.
Controversy: The juicy bits
History records that, during his time in Stein, he fell in love with fellow Canon
Servatius Rogerus and wrote him passionate letters.
There was also intrigue about an illicit affair that may or
may not have caused a sudden dismissal
from a tutoring position that he held in Paris.
Controversy: Stuck in the middle
Despite his eagerness for church reform, he remained
Catholic throughout his life i.e. he submitted to Papal authority despite the backdrop
of reformation in Europe. He sought the
middle ground in the conflict between Luther in Germany and Pope Adrian VI
(1522-1523), trying to reconcile the two. His humanist principles meant that he
was adamantly opposed to the violence
and warfare that he (rightly) feared would emerge from Luther’s movement.
Back to international learning
Throughout his life, he avoided
formal ties, preferring independence as a scholar, whatever the cost. He
also wrote about many secular and theological topics during his lifetime. These
and all his writings were in Latin, but were translated (at his encouragement)
into other languages.
And with translation we are
back where we started: international learning. His passion for international learning
was underpinned by Christian humanism, a seeming lack of the need be impressive
or to belong as well as an incessant love for the Church, despite its
shortcomings.
Key sources:
