Theology: Historical Theology: Humanism

This collection of new essays throws light on aspects of Christianity and Humanism and their mutual relations. The central focus is on the age of Renaissance and Reformation, and the contributions treat aspects of religion, history, philosophy, literature and education.

This book deals with the impact of the Reformation debate in Germany on the most prominent intellectual movement of the time: humanism. Although it is true that humanism influenced the course of the Reformation, says Erika Rummel, the dynamics of the relationship are better described by saying that humanism was co-opted, perhaps even exploited, in the religious debate.

Looking at the period of the early 16th century, the juncture of the Renaissance and the Reformation, this collection of essays focuses on the unique link between humanism and the literary works of the period - in particular, the patristic scholarship inherent in Erasmus' ideals of reform.

In Secrets: Humanism, Mysticism, and Evangelism in Erasmus of Rotterdam, Bishop Guillaume Bri onnet, and Marguerite de Navarre, Jacob Vance explores how Erasmus and French Renaissance humanists made secrecy central to their spiritual and profane literature to advance their reforms initiatives.

Beginning as a movement based on the recovery of ancient texts, and archaeological study, humanism turned into a dynamic cultural program, influencing almost every facet of the intellectual life of the Renaissance. The fourteen original essays in this volume deal with all aspects of the movement, from its origins in Italy to its manifestation in the literature of More, Sidney and Shakespeare. Overall, The Cambridge Companion to Renaissance Humanism provides a comprehensive introduction to a major movement in the culture of early modern Europe.