Erasmus Autobiography

Erasmus Autobiography

Full Name: Mr. Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus
Date of Birth: October 27, 1466
Place of Birth: Rotterdam, Holland
Died: July 12, 1536
Place of Death: Basel, Switzerland
Classification: Scientists & Thinkers

Thought as a heretic for his writings against the Church, Erasmus was brought up a Catholic, but supported Martin Luther and what would become Protestantism. In his daily dealings and life with the church, Erasmus was put off by the blatant corruption of the members of his sect – those who did not practice what they preached. Although he never wanted to separate from his brethren, he believed that Christianity should bring people together and not tear them a part. His ideas and own beliefs were closer to that of the Reformists who were changing the way the church dealt with society.

Born in Rotterdam, Erasmus was made a priest in the early 1490s. Before ten years into his priesthood, he traveled to England and met with other church philosophers of the day, who told him that he should focus his energies on scholastic research of the bible. As a result, he wrote and published his first book, entitled Handbook of a Christian Soldier. In it, he theorized, analyzed, and described what he found in the New Testament of the Bible. Eight years later, Erasmus wrote The Praise of Folly, which stirred controversy in the church for its depiction of how the Catholic Body followed man-made laws, but not the teachings of Christ.

Before Erasmus wrote and spent time in England, he studied in Paris, which gave him time to truly develop and hone in his personal writing style. He garnished admirers of his work and his studies in the humanities were brilliantly realized. Upon his travels, he believed that the Greek language would help him uncover some of the deeper truths to biblical documents and accounts.

Closer to 1510, Erasmus traveled to Italy, where he met with Aldus Manutius and his publishing company in Venice. It was here that Erasmus would have someone to publish his works and therein make lucrative profits on their sales. Back in England and after publishing the aforementioned Praise of Folly, Erasmus began teaching at Cambridge, a fitting placement for such a scholarly, well-learned and philosophical individual.

By 1516, Erasmus wrote a revised version of the New Testament, providing the original texts beside it. His work gained scholarly prestige and meant that now more than ever; students of religion would have a greater grasp and understanding of the scriptures. With his fame, he was appointed to Charles the V’s court. Erasmus wrote The Complaint of Peace, which spoke out against war and urged leaders to preserve harmony using the Christian name. He went on to discuss his beliefs with Luther and worked so that lay people could come to understand the greater meanings behind the scriptures