Humanism's Growth from Renaissance to Reformation

From about 400 AD to 1400 AD, much of the European population lived in parochial and prejudiced societies. Hereditary monarchs ruled with little regard for their subjects, affluent church leaders made life—and death—altering decisions for all of “civilized” humanity, and the vast majority of the populace scraped out a living in support of the more fortunate nobility.[1] Then, in the Renaissance, that began to change. New ideas based on ancient ones crept into society, introducing the new concept of humanism, the idea that people and their decisions mattered. Although at first humanism was severely limited in its scope, this philosophy gradually spread and became foundational to later continent-shifting events.

Renaissance humanism did little to change the feudal social structure, but it paved the way for later changes. 

Humanism, as it originated in the renaissance, was primarily a gentleman’s game. Most of the influential figures of early humanism were scholars, collectors, or artists, most of which lived in the upper tiers of society. While these humanists were proclaiming the glory of man, nearly all of mankind and all of womankind lived with few liberties and fewer hopes of socioeconomic advancement. During the Renaissance, Pico della Mirandola’s declaration that “man is…a great miracle and a being worthy of all admiration”[2] applied only to the upper echelon of European society. As Grant pointed out during our class discussion, this limited humanism held sway even outside of European society, as conquering sailors went forth into the world. Christopher Columbus wrote of meeting the Native Americans, “I showed them a sword, they took it by the edge and cut themselves out of ignorance... They would make fine servants.... With fifty men we could subjugate them all and make them do whatever we want.”[3] Columbus readily took the opportunity to subjugate others for his higher cause. Humanism, it seems, belonged to the elite.

However, over time, the ideas promulgated by the early humanists began to spread beyond estates and libraries and into the fields and villages where it played a key role in the Reformation. The last straw that drove Martin Luther to begin the Reformation was the church’s sale of indulgences to the poor to fund Rome’s cathedrals. Luther, likely inspired by humanistic ideals, saw the degradation of the lower classes as an affront. He protested the church, and as he did, Luther took the humanism that belonged by the elite and brought it to the masses. Luther encouraged all devout Christians to seek a personal relationship with God. No longer did they need powerful church leaders to intermediate. Luther also urged his followers to develop their intellectual gifts, that they might avoid regressing to “barbarous”[4] lifestyles. Luther’s emphasis of individual dignity among commoners led to the overthrow of the most powerful institution of the time and laid the groundwork for the political and philosophical revolutions that would follow during the Enlightenment.

While humanism began as a pastime of the prosperous, its influence spread and became critical to the Reformation. As humanism moved from Renaissance painters and playboys to Reformation priests and peasants, it created a transformed view of humanity and paved the way for institutions that reflected the change.



[1] https://www.bl.uk/the-middle-ages/articles/peasants-and-their-role-in-rural-life
[2] Pico della Mirandola, “Oration on the Dignity of Man”
[3] https://www.historyisaweapon.com/defcon1/zinncol1.html
[4] Martin Luther, Letter to Eoban Koch

Picture credit: https://www.emaze.com/@AZTILZLQ