The Renaissance emphasized ‘ad fontes’ – a return to the original sources; For philosophy that was classical Greek sources such as Plato and Aristotle; for Christianity, that would be the New Testament. There were also other aspects of the Renaissance that were critical of Medieval religious practices and institutions and called for a return to original Christianity.

Write a 300 word response comparing and analyzing the role of the Renaissance in preparing the way for translations of the scriptures in the national vernacular and for the Protestant Reformation. Describe some of the figures and issues of the Renaissance that encouraged reform.

1. Give a brief review or summary of the Christian aspects of the Renaissance from chapter 2, p. 140.
2. Give you own reaction to some of the translation issues raised by Erasumus in his translations from the original Greek.
3. Do you think that the Protestant Reformation would have happened without the Renaissance?