Human Saga

Erasmus publishes his Greek New Testament and the rise of Christian humanism

1516·Culture, arts & philosophy·Low Countries and Switzerland (Basel)·
1516Date
Culture, arts & philosophyCategory
29Empires active
Date
1516
Category
Culture, arts & philosophy
Region
Low Countries and Switzerland (Basel)
Era
Early Modern
Significance

In 1516 the Dutch humanist Desiderius Erasmus published the Novum Instrumentum, the first printed Greek New Testament, presenting the Greek text alongside his own revised Latin translation and a body of scholarly notes, the Annotationes.

By applying philological methods to scripture, Erasmus exposed inconsistencies in the medieval Latin Vulgate that the Church had long treated as authoritative, and his edition became the standard reference for humanist scholars and Protestant reformers alike, underpinning later vernacular translations. Together with his earlier satire The Praise of Folly (1511), which mocked the corruption of monks, scholastic theologians and Renaissance popes, Erasmus exemplified Christian humanism: a programme of returning to original sources, ad fontes, to renew piety and learning. Though Erasmus remained within the Catholic Church and later disputed with Luther over free will, his critical scholarship and call for reform helped prepare the intellectual ground for the Reformation, while his editorial labours on classical and patristic texts equipped sixteenth-century Europe with new scholarly tools.

See the world map in 1516 →More culture, arts & philosophyThe Early Modern era

One piece of history in your inbox, weekly

New empires, events and features as they land — one good email a week. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.

Empires active in 1516

Related culture, arts & philosophy events

Further reading

The wider story

The Story of Art

E. H. Gombrich

The best-selling art history ever written, from cave paintings to the modern age.

Get it on Amazon →

As an Amazon Associate, Human Saga earns from qualifying purchases.