ERASMUS OF ROTTERDAM: BIOGRAPHY, THOUGHTS, CONTRIBUTIONS AND WORKS - LITERATURE - 2025

Erasmus of Rotterdam (1466-1536) was a Dutch-born humanist, theologian and philosopher. He was inclined to the study and reading of the classics written in Latin, as well as to the search for a spiritual life from the inside out. He has been considered one of the greatest and most influential thinkers of the Renaissance period.

The importance of this humanist also lies in his struggle to pave the way and advance the principles of church reform. This consists in the development of the writings to make a "New Testament" that many know today in the Reina Valera Bible.

Erasmus of Rotterdam. Source: Hans Holbein, via Wikimedia Commons

It is important to note that he took pains to defend the freedom of individuals, in addition to the study of reason over any other method. Many of Erasmus's works were based on a constant criticism of the church, because he considered it an immoral entity, full of tricks.

Biography

Erasmus of Rotterdam was born in Nederland (Netherlands), on October 28, 1466. His father was Gerard de Praêt, a priest from Gouda. His mother was called Margarita, some claim that she was Praêt's servant, others that she was the daughter of a doctor from the Zevenbergen province.

It is not known for sure if her father was already a priest at the time of conception, but it is known that the theologian's name "Erasmus" was in honor of the saint to whom the father was devoted. This saint was very popular in the times of the 15th century and he was known as the patron saint of sailors and violinists.

When he was still little, his father sent him to the school of the "Brothers of Life in Common", located in the city of Deventer. This was a religious institution whose purpose was the teaching of the Bible, helping others, prayer and meditation, in addition, they did not profess religious vows that separated from earthly passions.

It was in this organization that Erasmus connected with the spiritual. While inside he studied Greek and Latin with Professor Alexander Hegius Von Heek, who had teaching methods that stood out above the other teachers; he was also the director of the institution.

Pass through the monastery

Rotterdam entered the Monastery of the Canons Regular of Saint Augustine when he was 18 years old. This congregation was created by John XXIII, and Erasmus prepared himself from the spiritual point of view. The humanist made the decision to assume the habits of a priest.

After his ordination, precisely in 1495, he received a scholarship to study theology at the University of Paris. Within this house of studies he consolidated great friendships, such as with the founder of humanism in the French city Roberto Gaguin.

It is precisely in Paris where Erasmus began to link with Humanism. During this time he began a process of free thoughts and ideas that led the individual to independence and his own criteria.

Stay in London and his phrases for history

For a year Erasmus of Rotterdam was traveling to London, between 1499 and 1500. It is in this city where he consolidated his humanist thoughts, after a conversation he had with the prominent humanist, and dean of St. Paul's Cathedral, John Colet, about the true reading that should be given to the Bible.

In the beginning of the 16th century, year 1500, the theologian began the writing of his famous Adagios. This series of phrases loaded with knowledge and experiences consisted of about 800 aphorisms from the cultures of Rome and Greece. He made this a passion, to the point of reaching 3400 twenty-one years later.

Example of an adage from Erasmus of Rotterdam:

"The most disadvantageous peace is better than the most just war."

The Rotterdam adages still apply. When they died they numbered more than four thousand five hundred. From the moment of its first printing it was considered a Best Seller, and has to its credit more than 60 editions.

During this same time he served as professor of theology at the University of Cambridge. It is here where he strengthened the value of friendship with great thinkers and humanists, such as Colet, Thomas Linacre, John Fisher and Tomás Moro.

Always free-spirited and free-spirited, Erasmus rejected many job offers, among which were the life teacher in Sacred Sciences within Cambidge, specifically at the College "Queens". His freedom led him rather to curiosity and to quench his thirst for new knowledge.

After being in England, he traveled to Italy where he lived for a period of three years, earning a living working in a printing press, and continued to turn down teaching jobs. He met more and more people with whom he shared his thoughts and ideals, which spread his popularity.

Constant struggle for change in education

Erasmus was a strong opponent of the educational system of his time, he advocated an education based on free thought. He considered that the teachings given in the institutions impeded the formation of reasoning and opinions in the students.

Due to his opposition, he took refuge in reading classical books, both Latin and Greek, to seek and find new ideas. He was absolutely against the school and institutional authorities. For him, the system was hypocritical in punishing students, when they acted against what they professed.

When he was in university, he perceived that the teachings that were taught were not innovative, but that they continued to be routine in the dissemination of knowledge. It is then when he begins to look for a solution to what he considered a problem.

Constant search for knowledge

He immersed himself, as mentioned above, in the Roman and Greek texts, in order to update the teaching contents and give birth to new teaching methods. He fought all his life for it, and it made many people reach out, and they could understand what was embodied.

Erasmus of Rotterdam lived a life full of knowledge, studies and struggles. In 1509 he reached his maximum productivity with Elogio a la Locura, where he expressed his feelings towards the injustices of certain social strata. He unknowingly inspired Martin Luther, specifically with the translation of the New Testament.

His last years

The last years of his life were light and dark, there were those who supported his ideals, and those who, on the contrary, persecuted him and pointed out his way of thinking. However, he did not put aside his fight, much less change his position.

He embarked on many verbal discussions, but it is perhaps the one he had with Ulrich von Hutten, the German humanist and promoter of the Reformation of the Holy Empire, that he received the most attention. This invited him to join the Lutheran movement, while Erasmus was sure of not taking any part in these ideas.

Erasmus was so faithful to his ideals, that when the city of Basel (Switzerland) joined the ideas of the Protestant Reformation in 1521, he packed his bags and moved to Germany, specifically Freiburg im Breisgau. At this time his book The Ecclesiastic culminated.

Tomb of Erasmus of Rotterdam. Source: By F.muggitore, from Wikimedia Commons

Although he had the opportunity to return to his country of origin, the "gout disease" did not allow it, and he had to return to Basel for work reasons. He died on July 12, 1536, to begin a universal legacy in force until today.

Philosophical thought

Rotterdam thought was Christ-oriented. He reliably maintained that happiness was achieved through a life full of spirituality. It is perhaps from this idea that his theological reform was born.

Regarding the above, he considered that the conservative ideas of the time lacked sound foundations, and that they did not contribute to the true change that man needed to live a full life. For him, fasting and religious prohibitions such as abstinence were meaningless.

Erasmus was convinced that the true change was not in the physical, but in the transformation and evolution of the soul. He was also determined to establish a religion that did not have any kind of creed or rules, but that would allow its supporters to form as true Christians.

Rotterdam and the reform

From the previous thought the reform of the Christian life was born, always looking for the ecclesiastical hierarchy to give more room for free thought. In addition, he wanted the word of God to really direct the church and the people, and leave aside all formalism and prohibitions.

They discarded the idea that the church remained a community of ranks, where the high command only gave directives that they themselves had no intention of following. While he was not opposed to priests marrying and having families, he preferred that they remain fully in the service of God.

He believed in an ecclesiastical reform from within the church. He also considered that the alliance of the papacy with the religious institution was an obstacle to the true growth of the spirit of the parishioners.

Even when Rotterdam defended the study of the Bible as a guide for life, he opposed Martin Luther on the principles of grace, which determines that it is God who gives salvation to humans.

In reference to what was previously described, Erasmus affirmed that if everything was given by God's divine grace, then the fact that man acted in a correct and benevolent way did not make any sense, because even being bad, God would save him. This was one of the many reasons why he was criticized.

The most important thing is a life of example

Within his thought he considered that it was not so important to attend mass and be a religious listener to what the priests said. For Rotterdam it was more important to lead a life as close to that of Jesus Christ, therein lay the true growth of the spirit.

In addition, he affirmed that within the walls of a convent or monastery, man did not reach his spiritual maximum, but that the true evolution came through baptism. All his life he was a defender of peace, and based on this he raised his ideas in the political sphere.

Contributions to humanity

Education

The contributions of Erasmus of Rotterdam had great repercussion. It is mentioned, for example, the fact of being against the learning system that was established in his time. He was strongly opposed to teaching based on fear and punishment.

Although it took many centuries for education to set aside those archaic instructions, it is true that Erasmus helped a lot through his struggle. So much so that in future years his ideas were studied and accepted by sociologists and psychologists, who affirmed that teaching was given through love and patience.

He rejected the fact that children in their prime years were taught on the basis of encyclopedias and repetition. For him it was more important an enriching conversation between teacher and student, where human growth occurred through contact and the exchange of ideas.

church

Regarding the ecclesiastical field, it can be said that in some way it managed to modify the way in which learning about God was seen. He made it clear that it was not something exclusive to the church or educational centers, but that all human beings should have it as a habit, by virtue of the wisdom and love of God being the best guide for life.

He made a constant struggle to get the church placidly and little by little to reach more people through a more loving and closer sermon to God. Trying that this allows people to have more will to grow and develop. Throughout his life he considered the church immoral and false.

Thought and philosophy

On the other hand, he laid the foundations for the defense of critical and free thought. In addition to the application of reason on all the approaches that were made, noting that, as thinking beings, one has the ability to discern and make decisions without being suggested by others.

Politics

Politics was not exactly the area that most interested Erasmus. However, he left humanity some contributions. For him it should be governed by the precepts of the Christian life, just as ordinary people were guided by God. A ruler had to do the same because there was the wisdom he needed.

The monarchy was the government system of the time, hence what is known as "the education of the prince" was born, who according to Rotterdam should be good to his people, and develop ideas of progress within the moral.

So applied today, Erasmus's contribution to politics could make sense if the politician knows the true meaning of having a life according to Christ, if he prepares to serve his nation and not his own interests, and if he has as main objective the defense of peace, and the establishment of a more spiritual government.

Finally, Erasmus of Rotterdam was an advanced man of his time. His ideas, approaches and thoughts went beyond what was established, he always sought to renew, trying to find the best way for a happier and fuller life in the fields where he prepared himself, leaving humanity a great legacy.

Plays

All the works written by Erasmus of Rotterdam had great scope during and after his time, this was due to the particular way he had of writing. His way was to make everyone understand his message, through simplicity. Some are mentioned to expand the knowledge about this great humanist.

Institutio Principis Cristiani. Source: Erasmus, via Wikimedia Commons

Adagios

It is a compilation of rules or precepts, to serve as guidance throughout life. As described above, he began to write it during his life in England, and at the end of his life he numbered about 4,500.

These phrases of Erasmus are a simple, perhaps funny and different way of perceiving the experiences and circumstances of life. The ultimate goal is to learn and reflect on the various situations that occur, always taking advantage and learning.

The following is an example of the great humanist's adage:

"In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king." This phrase refers to the fact that people cannot always be recognized for their value or capabilities. On the contrary, they adhere to others in order to stand out. Hence the need for free and unbound thinking.

Praise of madness

This writing has the characteristics of an essay, it was written by Erasmus in the year 1511. It is the most important reference to the process of the Protestant Reformation. It is a critical maxim of the church, through the use of speech that leaves signs of madness.

In the text madness is represented by a goddess, who in turn is the daughter of Pluto and Hebe youth. The other participants are described as narcissism, flattery, forgetfulness, laziness, dementia, all of them considered by the author vices of the Catholic Church.

Here is a fragment of this writing, where it is Madness who makes the intervention:

"Speak of me as the common man wants. Well, I do not ignore the evil of what is spoken of the Folly, even among the most stupid, but I am the only one, yes the only one - I say - that, when I want, full of rejoicing gods and men… ".

Education of the Christian Prince

It consisted of a series of rules to be followed by the future king of the nation. Based mainly on respect and love for his people, as well as being guided by the divine wisdom of God. It proposes the teaching of the arts to free them, as well as the dignified treatment of the person.

It was written in the year 1516, at first it was known as the Mirror of Princes. It was a special dedication to the future king of Spain, Carlos V. Historians affirm that Erasmus had with this work the goal of becoming the teacher of the future king.

Received text or New Testament

It is a series of writings in Greek of the New Testament reform, its first printing dates from 1516, although it subsequently went through several editions. These manuscripts formed the basis for later editions of the Bible, such as the Reina Valera edition.

The letters of Erasmus

They were written as a cry for help from Rotterdam to the important and influential men of their time, to spread their ideas and thoughts. It is known that the recipients were about five hundred men. Among these was the renowned Martin Luther.

In the exchange Luther recognizes Rotterdam's work in favor of Christianity, and later invites him to join the new Protestant reform. However Erasmus refuses, although he applauds the efforts of the recipient.

Other

The previous ones were the most outstanding works of this theologian and humanist, however the paraphrase of the New Testament written in 1516 can also be mentioned. There is also the Discussion on Free Will, which he wrote in 1524, and which produced the answer by Martin Luther.

Rotterdam constantly insisted on loving and caring teaching for children. Motivated by this he wrote in the year 1528, the text entitled On the Firm but Kind Teaching of Children.

Finally they also highlighted the Treaty of Preaching; Very useful, which was a kind of manual on whether the war against the Moors should or should take place, written in 1530. In addition to his Preparation for Death, which he wrote in 1534.

References

1. Muñoz, V. (2013). Biography of Erasmus of Rotterdam, the 16th century scholar. (N / a): Network-History. Recovered from: redhistoria.com
2. Erasmus of Rotterdam. (2018). (Spain): Wikipedia. Recovered from: wikipedia.com
3. Briceño, G. (2018). Erasmus of Rotterdam. (N / a): Euston 96. Recovered from: euston96.com
4. Erasmus of Rotterdam. (S. f.). (N / a): My Universal History. Recovered from: mihistoriauniversal.com
5. Erasmus of Rotterdam. (2004-2018). (N / a): Biographies and Lives. Recovered from: biogramasyvidas.com