Erasmus

by Christopher Hollis

Erasmus is one of the giants of Christian and humanist letters. Representative of the spirit of the Renaissance, forerunner of the Enlightenment, he is indelibly associated with culture, education, and literature. Christopher Hollis’s Erasmus (originally part of the Science and Cultured Series , edited by Joseph Husslein, S.J.) is a chronicle of a brilliant yet erratic individual, a candid study of a scholar of monumental importance, and—perhaps most importantly—a clear explanation of Erasmus’s religiosity, his relationship to the Catholic Church and attitude toward the Reformation. The key events and works of Erasmus’s life are presented here, including his visits to England and friendship with Thomas More; the Praise of Folly and the Enchiridion militis Christiani ; the Greek New Testament and editions of the Church Fathers; and his contentions with Luther. When Erasmus first met Thomas More, he reportedly “Either you are More or no one”; to which More replied, “And you are either God or the Devil or my Erasmus.” Hollis, Husslein notes in the Preface, aims “to give that interpretative likeness which the canvas of the artist alone can reveal”—such also, he adds, is its achievement. In light of that achievement, the reader might parse More’s tripartite identification of Erasmus, the man and the legend.

Genres: Religion, Philosophy, History

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1933

Reviews

[Melbourne Bitter · Rating 3 out of 5]

This biography by Hollis is more concerned with the character of Erasmus than anything else. It seems to set aside his learning and books as run of the mill, as in using words like dashed off etc to describe Erasmus writing a book. the huge labours of the New Testament revision are glossed over. Instead the focus seems to be the odious side of Erasmus' character and his eternal money problems. Hollis tries to be balanced however and mainly pulls it off. Except where a sentence slips through the editor here and there like describing Luther and Erasmus as anti-Christian.