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HUMANISM: Renaissance vs. Secular

Explore the evolution of humanism from Renaissance to secularism, delving into educational reform, Reformation nexus, and pitfalls of deviating from the core ideals. An insightful discussion on how humanism contributed to shaping modern thought and education.

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HUMANISM: Renaissance vs. Secular

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  1. HUMANISM:Renaissance vs. Secular Donald T. Williams, PhD Toccoa Falls College HUM 103

  2. Two Statements: • SCHAEFFER: “Up to a certain point, the Renaissance could have gone one of two ways” . . . [and it took the wrong path]. • WILLIAMS: “Up to a certain point, the Renaissance could have gone one of two ways” . . . [and it did!].

  3. Schaeffer Renaissance Humanism Enlightenment Secular Humanism Williams RenaissanceHumanism Enlightenment Reformation Secular Humanism Evangelicalism Two Genealogies

  4. Genesis of Humanism • Rise of the Modern Nation-State • “Dictatores” • Greco-Roman Classics • Grammatico-Historical Exegesis • “Ad Fontes,” “Back to the Sources!”

  5. Nature of Early Humanism • Not an Ideology • An Educational Reform Movement • Not “Man” but the “Humanities” (Studia Humanitatis) • I.e., Anyone who wanted to read ancient books using grammatico-historical exegesis • Included Erasmus, Luther, Calvin, Zwingli

  6. The “Ad Fontes” Tradition • “In the evening I return to my house and go into my study. At the door I take off the clothes I have worn all day . . . And put on regal and courtly garments. Thus appropriately clothed, I enter into the ancient courts of ancient men, where, being lovingly received . . .

  7. The “Ad Fontes” Tradition • “ . . . I feed on the food which alone is mine, and which I was born for. For I am not ashamed to speak with them and to ask the reasons for their actions, and they courteously answer me.” Niccolo Machiavelli

  8. Ad Fontes & the Reformation • Equation: Ad Fontes+ the Question of Religious Authority = Sola Scriptura. • Two Dates: • 1516: Erasmus’ Greek New Testament • 1517: Luther’s 95 Theses • Proverb: “Erasmus laid the egg, & Luther hatched it.”

  9. What did Humanism Contribute to Reformation? • The Desire to read Ancient Books • The Ability to read Ancient Books • The Availability of Ancient Books • A sound Hermeneutic • The Ability to ExplainWhy the Bible said what Protestants said it said.

  10. What Humanism Contributed • “There has never been a great revelation of the word of God unless He has first prepared the way by the rise of languages and letters, as though they were John the Baptists.” Martin Luther

  11. A Genealogy Ad Fontes Sola Scriptura Sola Gratia Sola Fide Solus Christus Soli Deo Gloria

  12. What Went Wrong? • Humanists = All who want to read ancient books using grammatico-historical exegesis. • An Educational Reform, not an Ideology • Some failed to read the Greeks through the lens of Scripture. • Greeks did not understand The Fall. • Thought Human Nature Good (or neutral).

  13. Example “Men that are free, of gentle birth, well-bred and at home in civilized company have a natural instinct that inclines them to virtue and saves them from vice. This instinct they name their honor.” --Rabelais, Gargantua and Pantagruel, 1534

  14. Example “There is no vice that is really a vice which is not hurtful, and which a sound judgment does not condemn; for its ugliness and evil consequences are so apparent that perhaps they are right who say that it is chiefly begotten by stupidity and ignorance.” -- Montaigne, Essays, 1580

  15. What Went Wrong? • If Human Nature is Good, then Evil comes from Ignorance. • If Evil comes from Ignorance, then Salvation lies in Education. • Therefore Humanist Education became a False Messiah, an Idol. • This Branch kept the name “Humanism”

  16. Summary • Began as an Educational Reform • Led to a Rebirth (“Renaissance”) • Of Ancient Learning • Of Grammatico-Historical Exegesis • Helped make the Reformation Possible • But some Humanists went Off Course • Therefore always Distinguish: • Renaissance Humanism • Secular Humanism

  17. Schaeffer Renaissance Humanism Enlightenment Secular Humanism Williams RenaissanceHumanism Enlightenment Reformation Secular Humanism Evangelicalism Two Genealogies

  18. Conclusion “If we wish to preserve, defend, transmit, and intelligently apply the Gospel the Reformation recovered, we would do well then to recapture the educational emphases that made that recovery possible. For as Luther knew, to acquire as much skill as possible in the languages and literature not only of the New Testament . . .

  19. Conclusion . . . but also of the Greco-Roman world from which it sprang is to attune our ears to the message of those John the Baptists who can help to point us to Christ.” --Donald T. Williams, “Repairing the Ruins: Thoughts on Christian Higher Education.” Christian Educator’s Journal

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