Contemporary Impact
Chasity Coleman
Desiderius Erasmus, who lived from 1466 to 1536, made numberous contributions to the Renaissance time period. He created many critical and satirical writings about human intrest. One of his most noted pieces was The Praises of Folly, a satire which pointed out major problems in the clergy, saying that monks were beggars, the clergy was greedy, and that the pope had no resemblance to the Apostles, that was published in 1511, even though his more serious work started later with the wirting of the Enchiridion Militis Christiani, the " Manual (or Dagger) of the Christian Gentleman" in 1503. He also prepared new Latin and Greek edtions of the New Testaments using humanist techniques so that the europeans could read it. These editions influenced the reformation of the church. He also publsihed a new edition of the orthodox treatise o Algerus in 1530. Because his writings were somewhat offensive to certian groups of people, the showed his courage and ability to speak for what he believes. Erasmus was one of the great humanists of the 1500's. He books were read by many and his ideas quickly spread throughout Europe. Needless to say, Desiderius Erasmus played an important role in the Renaissance period.
http://www.studyworld.com/desiderius_erasmus.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erasmus
http://www.tlogical.net/bioerasmus.htm#vw
http://www.d.umn.edu/lib/bible/images/erasmus.jpg