Roland Bainton (1894–1984)

Over 40 years ago one of my professors recommended that I read Roland Bainton. I think he was meant Bainton's work on Luther but this book about Erasmus was worth it too. Erasmus was right in the middle of the Renaissance and the Reformation. His ideas were far ahead of the most of the educated world. He was for toleration, peace and openness at a time when heretics were still burned at the stake and political enemies of kings were beheaded. Erasmus stood in the middle, friends with Henry VIII and Thomas More and several Popes. His work on the New Testament paved the way for scholars to look at it critically. His humor and satire still make me laugh nearly 500 years later. I think Bainton has really done justice to Erasmus. Other writers accused Erasmus of having a weak character because he avoided conflict and in some cases refused to take a stand. Some in the reformed party thought he was weak because he would not leave the Catholic Church. Others in the Catholic party claimed that Erasmus failed the Church because he would not condemn the reformers and had many reformation ideas himself. I have read several books about Erasmus and I would like to say that Erasmus of Christendom is one of the better ones.… (más)