Erasmus and the Restoration

Desiderius Erasmus. Who was he and what was his contribution during the Renaissance?  He was a Dutch humanist who is known to be one of the greatest scholars of the northern Renaissance.  He is most widely known to have laid the foundation for the common man to be able to access the Bible.  At this time, the Bible was only made available to those who could read Latin which was mainly the wealthy and learned.  However, Erasmus changed the course of history when he published the first New Testament in Greek called Novum Instrumentum omne. This was a critical moment, because it allowed both old and young, rich and poor, learned and unlearned to be able to access the teachings found inside of it. 

This was a step that members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints understand was crucial in the restoration of the gospel.  After the death of Christ, many doctrines and teachings were lost, and they became inaccessible to much of the world.  In order for God’s children to be saved, they would need to understand His teachings, found in the Holy Bible.  

Joseph Smith, the prophet of the Restoration of the gospel, was a young farm boy who lived in the early 1800s.  Many believe that he is the answer to a prophecy of William Tyndale who said “I will cause a boy that driveth the plow, shall know more of the Scripture than thou dost,” referring to the pope.  Joseph Smith did have full and complete access to the Bible, and was able to call upon heaven to fully disseminate its teachings. So, some may argue, Tyndale was correct in his prophecy.  

Without the contributions of Erasmus hundreds of years previously, Joseph would not have been able to seek inspiration in the bible.  After all, he was just a young farm boy.  Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints owe much to the early pioneers, like Erasmus, who paved the way for a more accessible bible. 

The Tourist

Francesco Petrarca is known as one of (if not the) founder of Humanism, the inspiration of Pietro Bembo, and the Tourist. 

Casper David Friedrich, "Wanderer Above a Sea of Fog" (1818)

Born in 1304, Petrarca unwillingly followed his father into the study of law. Like the reverse of so many English students at BYU today, his study of law led him into a love of literature and explorations of the human condition. He abandoned the practice and set about Europe to recover lost Greek and Roman texts. Unlike so many others of the time who traveled out of necessity, Petrarca traveled for the experience of it. He climbed mountains for recreation—practically unheard of at the time. As the nobles of the world languished in soft homes and the commoner worked only as hard as necessary to feed themselves, Petrarca the Tourist actively pursued a life of travel and effort.

And it paid off. Through his travels, Petrarca discovered and published a lost set of letters written by Cicero. The ideas in these letters lent him credibility and were foundational for Humanist thought. Adding his own view to the ideas, Petrarca wrote essay, poem, and letter to disseminate many of the perspectives that would shape Renaissance thought.

He was a fanatical believer in studying ancient history and literature and worked to convince others of the practical nature of such an endeavor. He taught that humanity had been given their intellectual and creative potential by God for the purpose of allowing humanity to use these abilities to their fullest extent.

Unlike our modern Instagrammers, the travels of this Tourist helped create, shape, and inspire generations after him.

Image credit: "Casper David Friedrich: Wanderer Above a Sea of Fog" by  Cybershot800i, public domain.

Quality vs Equality in Education

Is it better for the wide public to have access to knowledge, even if it might inhibit the learning of the wealthy? We now see the printing press as an invention that was pivotal to humanity's progression. It allowed people from all classes and trades to obtain information for themselves for which they previously would have had to rely on an academic or a church leader. However, many of those who already had access to that knowledge thought the printing press was a terrible idea. One argument, noted in The Renaissance in Perspective, was that it "would impair learning by lowering it to the level of the multitude." Others scoffed at how unattractive printed books were compared to the traditional copied ones.

The upper class of the renaissance were hesitant to accept the printing press for fear that common people would impair their learning.

The printing press succeeded in expanding knowledge to the masses, but whether or not it tainted learning is not so certain. Regardless, I don't believe those who wanted to keep knowledge exclusive to the high classes were in the right. Societies and individuals thrive when knowledge is shared; that is worth the possibility that learning overall might be slower or less perfectly articulated. 

I think we see a similar problem in schooling now. The American government provides schooling for free so everyone in the country can be educated. It allows for a wide spread of knowledge, which as we saw with the printing press, benefits society. However, not everyone goes to public schools; those who can afford it go to private schools. This hurts public schools because they receive funding based on how many students they have. 

I see a problem of exclusivity here, similar to that with the printing press. Public schools educate children from all backgrounds, so students may receive more generalized education than if they went to a school exclusive to the wealthy. When this decreases the funding and therefore the quality of public schools, though, it becomes a problem of exclusivity. Of course this problem is more complicated than I can get into here, but we should look at the big picture: society benefits more overall when knowledge is shared among the classes than when elites have exclusive access.

Image credit: "The Gutenberg Bible" by Kevin Eng is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

Early Humanists Set the Example For Future Revolutions

Early humanists were few and far between. Part of the reasoning for this is that humanists lacked the resources to succeed in helping others on a large scale. There are a few examples in the past of humanist efforts but they lack large-scale efforts to improve life.

This picture depicts an ancient printing press similar to those used by Aldus Manutius

One of the greatest examples of early humanist efforts is that of Aldus Manutius. This is one of the first examples of large-scale operations to improve life for the common man. He invested large sums of money into creating a business based around providing books for the common man. This is unheard of for the upper class to care for the peasant's needs.

Before Aldus, access to books, even printed books, was far out of reach for the common man. Few could afford an expensive book to be copied by hand and even books printed by a press were hard to get hands on. Aldus recognized this as a problem and created a successful company to provide books at a reasonable rate. He was fist a humanist and second a businessman. While he may have been able to increase margins by charging more per unit, he chose to put his products in reach of the lower class. Despite this fairly bad business move, he was incredibly successful.

One thing that makes the renaissance such an incredible time period is the beginning of large-scale humanist efforts such as this. Without heroes like this to lead the cause, it could have been centuries more until a collective consciousness of the basic rights of human beings was accepted. I believe that humanists like this are part of the reason there are still people fighting for rights today.

Technological Advances: Stop the Dam or Ride the Wave?

Around 1450, Johannes Gutenberg revolutionized the spreadability of knowledge and media by bringing a printing press with movable type to Europe in the heart of the European Renaissance. This allowed books to be printed and sold on a scale previously incomprehensible. Now, almost 600 years later, this is seen as an essential stepping stone towards all subsequent technological advances. As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, the part that the printing press played in the Protestant Reformation is indispensable.

Without the power and bias of hindsight, however, not everyone in that era was pleased with Gutenberg's accomplishment. Some even saw the printing press as barbaric and claimed that it would "impair learning by lowering it to the level of the multitude". The "high society" of knowledge was desirable and praiseworthy because it was "high society". Making knowledge more accessible made the acquiring of it less admirable.

We see this resistance to technology in our day as well. Periodically, I will receive an email from my father with a link to some study with conclusions such as "having your cell phone in the same room while working will decrease productivity even if it is powered off". Do I blame him for having these views? Can I use the printing press, what I see as a marvelous invention, to invalidate his worries? No.

People see what they want to see. Those who fight against new technologies have their reasons for doing so, and often see themselves proved right. I'm sure the studies my dad sends have valid data, and I have seen the distraction my smart phone presents. Those who grasp onto new developments also have their own reasons, and often see the good done that they hoped to see.

So do we ride the wave of technology? Do we stick to the old ways? The point is moot, the choice is yours. Either way you will be right.


Image Credit: Wikipedia Public Domain

To Live in the Shadow of a Giant... Spender: Pope Adrian VI

The Little Man Himself, Adrian

Note: This can be considered a follow-up to my previous post about Pope Leo X, found here.

Of the few virtues people consider universal, charity is high up on the list. However, another one that few people ever think of, or apply to their lives, is frugality. And indeed, from the beginning of his time in the Papacy to the very end of it, this was an issue that Pope Adrian VI had to deal with. Having to serve as the successor to the infamously burning wallet that was Pope Leo X, Adrian found himself with all of the mess and none of the benefits his predecessor enjoyed. To mix up a famous quote: "He was the pope they needed, not the pope they wanted." The reason for such was his extreme efforts to restore the Catholic Church to it's former economic position. To do so required numerous spending cuts, which the Cardinals and other Catholic officials did not like in the slightest due to the luxury they immersed themselves in during the time of Leo's reign.

To say that I see myself in Adrian's shoes is an understatement. He was truly a holy man, (as well as a miser, but still a holy one) surrounded by people who would spend lavish amounts of currency for new robes. Almost all my life I have done my best to hold on to every penny I touch, whether that be by buying new shoes on clearance, not spending a dime of my summer allowance in order to buy a game I wanted later, or even skipping meals so that my semester budget doesn't go overboard. Meanwhile I look around me and people are searching to buy the newest gadget, the clothes that are in fashion, the shoes whose adornments match their hair. Pope Adrian is the type of person I would look up to in this world, one who is frugal, quiet and truly believes in the things he preaches and does. I sincerely hope that this man is happy in the next world.

Image Credit: "Pope Adrian VI" (public domain images via Wikimedia Commons)

The Internet and the Printed Word

When the printing press was invented in the mid-1400's, it had a major impact on the accessibility of information through the written word. Prior to this, the process of making books was quite tedious and difficult, making them rare and only obtainable by the economic elite. With the printing process now easier than ever, more copies of books were put in circulation and the information they held could now be discovered by the peasants and commoners.

In the modern era, books are more prevalent than ever. From factual to fantastical, there is no end to the amount of stories and findings being put to print. However, books may possibly be under threat with the rising popularity of the internet. With information and entertainment just one click away, many are turning away from books in favor of online articles and social media.

Does Increased Availability Always Mean Decreased Value?

A book printed by the Gutenberg printing press

The printing press is easily one of the most influential inventions of the renaissance, if not of all time. It allowed for works to be copied quickly and distributed to people so that for the first time, regular people had access to information that was typically only shared with religious leadership or the socially elite. The printing press allowed for new ideas to be spread quickly, and it leveled the playing field by giving access to printed materials to everyone. Fast forward to today, thanks to the printing press, the internet, smart phones and a plethora of other inventions, we quite literally have huge libraries of information at our fingertips. If someone wants to know something now, they don't even have to type it out, they just ask Siri or Alexa.

The line outside the Supreme story in New York City

Over the summer I took a class on persuasion. In that class we discussed several different techniques to persuade people to buy things, see our opinions or just straight up convince them of something. We discussed the principle of scarcity in terms of purchasing. The principle of scarcity goes something like this: The less there is of something, the more people want it.  The brand Supreme, is successful because they only make a certain amount of clothing items when they release a new collection. People wait in line for hours before the store opens just to get in their to purchase an overpriced t-shirt, that no one else will have. It's madness and total brilliance.

If value is increased by how inaccessible something is, that must mean value decreases as accessibility goes up. After the printing press, information became accessible, and it has only gotten increasingly more accessible with the inventions mentioned previously in the last 30 years or so. Information is everywhere. There were men and women who died in order for us to have access to certain information. So here's my question, if we want something to be highly valued, is the best way to do it making it scarce? To take this further, do you feel that some things are less valuable because they are so easy to get to and if so how can we reverse that to see their importance and value?

image credit: Book https://www.dkfindout.com/uk/more-find-out/special-events/how-is-book-made/
image credit: Supreme NY store lineup https://www.highsnobiety.com/2015/08/20/supreme-fall-winter-2015-new-york-line-up/

Who’s to Blame?

Are we to blame for the sins and vices we commit? Ottaviano says, “It would be too wicked and foolish to punish men for defects that proceed from Nature through no fault of our own.” On the other hand, signor Gaspare replies, “Yet there are many who fully understand that they are doing evil, and still do it.” He continues by saying that “they are more conscious of the pleasures of the moment than of the punishment they fear in the future.”

Image credit: https://search.creativecommons.org/

 The discussion of this reading brings to mind my confusion of the scripture in Luke. Having not grown up with any religion, hearing this scripture as an adult confused me. As Jesus hung on the cross, he declared, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” It seemed to me that they knew exactly what they had done!

Ottaviano’s words seem to agree with the scripture in Luke by saying that “if they enjoyed true knowledge, there is no doubt that they would not fall into error. For reason is always overcome by desire because of ignorance, and true knowledge can never be defeated by the emotions, which originate in the body rather than the soul.”

As each of us thinks back on our own lives, would we have made a different decision if we had known better? I know I would have.

A Push for Basic Freedom of Education and Social Change

It amazes me how much religion has played a role int he development of culture in our modern world. Often when we talk about the culture that has developed as a result of religion, we think about the stark contrasts between a middle-eastern Islamic culture and western christian culture. But aside from the obvious cultural differences that many attribute to religion, we often forget that religion was at the center of a turning point for education in history. 

Martin Luther's push toward social change

Martin Luther can be argued as one of the most influential people in the history of the world not only because of what he did for the expansion of religion, but also for education. During his day, many people were limited in their ability to become educated simply because they could not read or write Latin or any of the other "priestly" languages. But thanks to Martin Luther, people began to have access to one of the principle sources for discovery and understanding; the Bible. Many influential figures arose in the wake of Martin Luther who also would play a significant role in the expansion of learning and religious freedom. 

Today we still see the after effects of what Martin Luther and the reformation movement did for modern culture. Though the Renaissance and times preceding Martin Luther's life were times of great change, they were still times of closed mindedness and rejection of certain values and beliefs. Martin Luther's excommunication from the Catholic church is a prime example of this. But thanks to what he did, change was initiated. This was the spark that lit the flame of the entire reformation movement. 

Today we live in a time where cultural changes are still constantly happening, but thanks to men such as Martin Luther, we don't have to fight suppression of basic human rights (in our country), but rather social ideals. This does not discount the impact that the social change of today will have on people 100 years from now! Martin is one of many figures we have to thank for our educational freedom, and culture of viewing social change as a positive thing.

The Gift of Knowledge

Knowledge has shaped the world into what we know today. Obtaining knowledge has always been one of the biggest pursuits of mankind. Throughout history however, knowledge was often restricted to the upper class and those with power. Knowledge was used to control those without it. The Renaissance did wonders to break this cycle, especially with the advent of the printing press. Knowledge became more affordable and accessible. The majority of people could access what was once forbidden to them, and people feasted on it.

A man I was very impressed with from my readings on the Renaissance is Aldus Manutius because of his generosity and his desire to disseminate knowledge for the benefit of man. He was a book manufacturer who created with pride beautiful books, but sold them at an affordable price because he wanted others to receive the blessings of education. While this was his business, he made a living while being generous. Aldus' attitudes and actions, from what I read, towards mankind made him a very honorable man. His example should be followed today.

In thinking on this, I look at my own experiences and see how I have been gifted an education. Education has been generously given to me by my parents, the government, as well as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. The Church truly understands the importance of education, and like Aldus, wants to distribute knowledge at an affordable price so that everyone has an opportunity to rise above their current state in life. The Church blesses thousands with an education at an incredibly affordable price.

Knowledge allows people to live a more full life. It brings fulfillment and happiness to those who hold it. It also encourages more growth. Once people get knowledge they want more, and this leads to advancements in society. If we want a society that succeeds in all aspects of life, education should be easily accessible to the people. Education is vital for the betterment of mankind.

"To Be What He Wills to Be"

The most fundamental attribute that all mankind is given is the ability to choose. We have the gift of agency to choose the path our life will take. We may choose evil, we may choose good, the choice is ours. This gift from God allows us to become a being of conviction and resolve. We, through action, can mold our life into what we desire by acting, rather than be acted upon. We have a hand on the steering wheel of our destiny because of the gift of agency. 

Agency has led to some of the greatest good on earth. Medicine, technology, and the wealth of knowledge that blesses us every day is because someone chose to learn and act on their knowledge. The world we live in is only possible because of choice. This wonderful gift is a double edged sword, however. While many, if not most people, use their agency to choose good and try to improve their life and surroundings, others do the opposite. Throughout human history men have chosen evil and acted in ways to harm others and the world at large. This is a 
terrible fact of life, and while we wish people would
 choose good, this will not always be the case. 

There are many choices before us, and we are free to choose.

Many wonder why God allows terrible things to happen. I feel as though it is because he respects and honors agency to such a degree that he lets people choose for themselves what they will be and do. Not only this, but good and evil work together in such a way that because of each, we know the other better. By contrast of experiences, our capacity to grow increases. Our joy can increase as we have come to know sadness. While it is a nice thought to live in a world free
of calamity and sorrow, evil and hate, we gain a more true understanding of our humanity by seeing good and evil around us. By living around evil, opportunities arise for mankind to rise up and become honorable, heroic, and good. Agency is a great gift. We truly can forge our futures with it. As Pico della Mirandola said, man "...is granted to have what he chooses, to be what he wills to be." And what a beautiful thought that is.

A Cause

I've always been enamored by the geographical proximity that European countries have with each other. For Americans, the price of cross-country vacations is almost absurd. That a Londoner can fly to Paris in an hour, have a nice lunch date, and fly back for under a hundred dollars boggles the mind of someone more than a twenty-hour drive from the closest border of their own country. It's convenient and lovely for tourists wanting to tour around the continent. However, there are serious drawbacks to having so many different cultures and governments in such a small area. 

Like an overcrowded house, there are problems that arise when too many opinions live too close to each other. Conquerors, usurpers, and religious figureheads have vied for power in Europe for millennia. Rarely, however, did these wars involve several countries at once, and rarely did they combine international war with civil war. 

The Protestant Reformation was so potent because of the Causes it espoused. Unlike the religious propaganda that convinced even lukewarm Christians to join the Crusades in the eleventh to thirteenth centuries, the Reformation made things personal. No matter how much a Dark Ages Christian valued Jerusalem, the Holy City was far away from his family, lands, and life. When the struggle began between the Catholics and Protestants, individuals turned against their families, families against their communities, communities against their governments, and governments against other nations. The result? Centuries of war all across Europe, a ravaged continent, and over ten million in deaths. 

While hindsight can help us validate the Reformation and the sixteenth century's glorious rejection of religious oppression, it can also elucidate exactly why the movement wreaked so much havoc. When dozens of countries and empires in close proximity start fighting over a cause so personal, so potent, so motivating, and so destructive as religious loyalty, disaster is virtually inevitable. 

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Abraham_Ortelius_Map_of_Europe.jpg

The Printing Press and the Intellectual Dark Web

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With the birth of the printing press came a new demand for information. The spread of humanism was a light to those in search of learning. This new opportunity for learning was not only a great equalizer but it was also the discovery of the individual's capacity for knowledge and the thirst for it. The information market quickly became the fastest growing market proof of our desire as human beings to better understand our purpose in the world.

I would argue that we are living through a similar revolution today on a smaller scale. When first introduced, Youtube was a platform where people watched funny cat videos and Charlie biting that one kid's finger. However, with it's unlimited bandwidth and accessibility to the masses the innate desire for knowledge has changed it into a platform of intellectual discourse.

With Television's limited bandwidth a debate about the ethics of abortion, or immigration laws is cut to a 20-minute news segment with "experts" shouting over each other with 3 commercial breaks in between. The introduction of these type of debates on Youtube opened the door for civil discourse on topics that need three to four hours of dialogue for there to be a progressing debate where everyone comes away enlightened.

These lengthy discussions are produced by intellects with a variety of political and philosophical views. These figures who are part of a group called the I.D.W. (Intellectual Dark Web) include Bret Weinstein (Evolutionary Biologist), Sam Harris (Neuroscientist), Ben Shapiro (Conservative Commentator), Ayaan Hirsi Ali (Feminist), Christina Hoff (Feminist), Jordan Peterson (Best Selling Author and Psychologist), and many more. If you type any of these names in a Youtube search bar, you will find thousands of hours of in-depth intellectual discourse that satisfies the human need for information and learning.

As with any other information it is vital to determine what is true. I am not saying what everyone who is part of the IDW speaks the truth. Most of them, however, are part of a movement that is searching for truth. Just like the humanists of the early Renaissance who sought to do everything they could to properly educate women, and "plowman". For anyone interested in captivating deep political and/or philosophical discussion I would encourage you to search these people out.         

Fluidity Within Christianity

Martin Luther and the 95 Theses

When Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses to the door of the Wittenberg Castle Church, he probably had no idea about the influence that this would have on Christianity.

Luther became disgruntled with the Catholic Church and many of their teachings, particularly those saying that to be able to be saved one needed to purchase indulgences for themselves and their loved ones and that both faith and works were needed to enter the kingdom of God (Luther believed only faith was needed). Theories promote the idea that Luther posted his 95 Theses not in an act of total defiance, but rather to set up debates and discussions he was planning to have later on. Nonetheless, the ideas he presented caught fire and spread throughout the world. Luther's ideas paved the way for Protestantism, and many Christian denominations began to sprout from the broken roots of the Catholic Church. 

                                 

Religion Today

I served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in North Carolina, which is one of the states in an area known as the "Bible Belt." When my plane touched down in Charlotte, I was immediately surprised at the number of churches standing throughout the city. It seemed to me that there were more churches than there were office buildings and homes combined! What especially struck me was peoples' viewpoints on religion. I met several people who had moved in from another city and were in search of a new church. Although the individual may have been a Presbyterian in their old city, they were completely willing to switch to another denomination, such as: Baptist, Methodist, Latter-day Saint, Episcopalian, Moravian, etc. They would go from church to church until they found a pastor they liked. The pastor (not the religion) mattered because different teachings were presented even within those churches claiming to be from the same denomination. The fluidity of Christian denominations today stands in stark contrast to religion before Luther's time.

Image Credit: www.history.com

Which is the Greatest Commandment?

Everyone loves a good underdog story. Whether its 13 scrappy colonies seeking liberty from an oppressive monarchy an ocean away, Martin Luther challenging the incredibly powerful Catholic Church, or Rocky going a full 15 rounds with Apollo Creed, we love to hear about overcoming what seem to be insurmountable odds and sticking up for the little guy. Yet to often we let our love of stories obscure the details of history when they go against the narrative. Such is the case in the reformation.

To be sure, before the reformation the Catholic Church as a worldly institution was powerful and corrupt, labeling those who threatened their power as heretics and even having enough clout to bend empires to their will. Martin Luther and later other reformers, such as John Calvin, John Knox, and William Tyndale brought about an important religious change that would make it possible later for religious freedom. However, during sixteenth century protestants could be just as intolerant as their Catholic counterparts. Martin Luther, who called for religious tolerance also advocated for the persecution of Anabaptists (another Protestant sect that believed in adult baptism). Luther also persecuted Catholics and Jews. Said he:

Heretics are not to be disputed with, but to be condemned unheard, and whilst they perish by fire, the faithful ought to pursue the evil to its source, and bathe their hands in the blood of the Catholic bishops, and of the Pope, who is a devil in disguise.

John Calvin proved to be even less tolerant, declaring that blasphemy and heresy were punishable by death because they insulted God. He went as far as to say that those who didn't kill heretics and blasphemers were just as guilty and worthy of death. Other instances include the bitter persecution that took place in England as both Catholics and Protestants killed each other under various Kings and Queens. The later Puritan movement that fled to America seeking religious freedom, did not allow for other faiths and forced out people like Roger Williams, who would later establish Rhode Island.

In saying all of this I do not wish to put down the reformers or their sacrifices, but show that even good causes can be lead astray. Too often today we provide our own narrative of events instead of looking at arguments objectively, making it so that anyone who opposes our views must be mistaken at the very least and a malignant forces for evil at the worst. It can be hard to recognize our own faults, to truly give others respect and the ability to exercise their rights, and it is easy to get swept up in the waves of righteous fury. This is why we can never forget that we need to remember Jesus Christ's admonition to "Love the Lord thy God" and to "love thy neighbor as thyself."
Image credits: Martin Luther by Luchas Cranach the Elder 1529. This photograph is in the public domain.

The Rhetoric of the Divine

In class today, Professor Burton touched on the perspective of rhetoric among some of the first philosophers as being “amoral” and therefore “immoral.” As a Latter-day Saint I have seen the contrary to this statement because as a literary student, I have seen God use rhetoric and rhetorical devices such as kairos (“the contingencies of a give place and time”) and audience (“how an audience shapes the composition of a text or responds to it) to restore the Church of Jesus Christ as it exists today. Therefore, as silly as I feel writing it, rhetoric is divine and used even in the Lord’s communication with us.

With the invention of the printing press, communication, literature, etc. were mass produced and given to the public. This of itself is Kairos because it changed the way people thought and how were educated, especially with the mass production or the Bible. Their religious ideals were changed to accommodate the inevitable restoration of the Church that was going to occur a few centuries later.

Audience was important for the Lord as well leading up to the Restoration. The way He addressed Joseph Smith in the First Vision was most likely accomplished and successfully understood by the fourteen year old boy because the Lord new His audience and knew the audience that Joseph would first preach to after he was given instructions to restore the Church. This was all carefully planned, just as the rhetoric in a piece of literature is carefully planned according to the Kairos and audience of the situation.

Image: Joseph Smith's First Vision 

Where Are the Women?

 The Renaissance was a revolutionary period for art. Dozens of amazing artists took chances, broke rules, and defied all the odds to pave the way for the artists that came behind. I have to admit, I’m inspired by Renaissance art history. Though I’m not much of an artist myself, my dad is a graphic designer and Michelangelo is his hero. On our trip to Italy as a family, we tracked down loads of his sculptures as Dad heralded us with stories of his life. I love stories where people rise up and make their voices heard.

However, the last time I wandered through the familiar story of that time, with all its triumphs, something began to bother me. Where were the women? They had to have been there. I assume they were, otherwise the population of Italy wouldn’t have lasted for long. Being a woman myself, I felt a particular desire to know about them, so I did a cursory search on the internet and found one. One.

Her name was Properzia de Rossi, and she was a fighter. Unlike other women who managed to become artists in her time, de Rossi was not born into a family of artists. She found her way to the discipline herself and even managed to study under one of the greatest painting masters of the time. But that wasn’t what de Rossi wanted to do. She wanted to sculpt in marble which was a huge no-no for women in that time. One artist named Vasari even commented (directly about de Rossi) that “Sculpting is not an art form that women should attempt”.

De Rossi didn’t care. She pursued her art form and beat many male competitors in a competition to decorate a sanctuary. Her contribution is pictured below. Despite her triumphs, the prejudice of her time prevailed and she died at the age of 40, penniless and practically forgotten.

de Rossi’s voice rings quietly through the ages, speaking of a life lived in her passion, of caution thrown to the wind. A life of breaking rules and following the spirit of the Renaissance revolution, the voices of which eventually ruined her.

Having an Open Mind: The Key to Growth

I have always thought that if we could teleport one of our printed books back to a time before the printing press was invented, whoever discovered it would be dumbfounded. Perfectly written symbols and lines, with neatly cut pages of paper. If you sent it back far enough it may be idolized! The invention of the printing press truly changed the course of the world because it made it possible for all to seek learning and made people open their minds to new possibilities.

Gutenberg's Printing Press

I must admit that I had to laugh when reading the story of the beginning of the business of selling books created by a printing press. When John Fust (colleague of Gutenberg and Schoeffer in the business of the first printing press) set out to Paris to sell their first editions of the Bible, he had great success, much to the dismay of the other manuscript and book vendors in the area. When they began to notice that he seemed to have an unlimited supply of books, they assumed it was by the power of the devil that he had gained such a treasure and they ran him out of the city. This story certainly isn't the first one I have heard of in history where a threatened people formed into a mob. But while learning about it, I began to realize that opposition always forms when the greatest changes happened in humanity.

As humans we are inherently uncomfortable with change. New possibilities are frightening because they mean that the course of our life may not be what we previously imagined. But oftentimes those who become great are those who accept change and open their minds to new possibilities. In the case of John Fust and the mob who ran him out of Paris, if one of those vendors had just approached him with an interest in learning how his "treasure of books" had been formed, they may have been given the opportunity to join him in the business. A response of fear lost this great opportunity for the mob. I believe that if we open our minds to new perspectives and points of view, we will be surprised to see that our opinions and beliefs may change. If they don't change, then we will become even more firm in our current beliefs and values, as we have considered all of the other possibilities. It is never wrong to try to see from a new perspective. In fact, it can only make you better.

A Stranger at Home

Coinciding with the Renaissance era was a time of exploration by countries of Europe. In particular, Portugal and Spain pioneered the oceans for "God, gold, and glory", or in other words, for the sake of missions, economic prosperity, and global influence/political dominance. Naturally, their European neighbors followed suit. Today, we often discuss their adventures with a heavy grain of salt and a disdainful tone as we remember the harrowing exploitations that took place. But upon reading French explorer Michel de Montaigne's Of Cannibals, I've come to consider that not every adventurer sought to prey upon third-world countries.

A view of the outside world molds the lens in which we view our own. Just as Montaigne saw cannibalism as less savage than aspects of punishment in his home country, travel can lead us to question our morals and mannerisms. This shapes our identity-- and perhaps most of all, with whom we identify.

While living in Japan last August, I did more than just appreciate their culture-- I adopted it. This isn't meant to sound boastful, but to simply express how I related to certain aspects of their culture more than my own. Dignity, modesty, respect, diligence, politeness, kindness... all inherent parts of Japanese custom, and all values which I prize highly. I felt like a sound wave that had been tuned-in to the correct frequency.

This leads one to ask: did the conquistadors ever relate to the cultural ideals of their captive country better than their homeland? Did explorers ever long to live "tribally", or feel like a fish-out-of-water upon arriving home? Looking forward to the Enlightenment, it seems that the explorations of Europe paved the way for a new humanist empathy to take root in Europe.

Perhaps we'd do well to rethink our assumptions about the explorers. Maybe they, too, became strangers to their homelands, and in turn, propagated tolerance across Europe for the indigenous world.