How the Renaissance Led to the Reformation (Part III)

(This is the third installment of a five part series on the Protestant Reformation)

Any discussion about literature of the Renaissance Age must include the Council of Ferrara. In 1439 a large delegation from the Eastern Church held discussions with the Western Church over the doctrinal differences of Christendom. While every agreement made at this council was eventually disregarded, the effect that it had on literature was profound and since the proceedings were in Latin and Greek, a renewed appetite for Greek studies and classical writings followed. The original manuscripts of the articles from this council are preserved to this day at the Laurentian library in Florence. At the conclusion of this council, many of the more than 700 men from the eastern delegation stayed in the west giving lectures and teaching Greek.

One of these Eastern theologians was Georgios Gemistos, better known as Plethon. (1355-1450) Plethon remained in the West giving lectures on Plato and other Greek philosophers while helping the Catholic theologians better understand the ancient Greek manuscripts. Led by Plethon's lectures on Plato, the politically powerful banker Cosimo de' Medici was moved to fund the Platonic Academy in Florence, which was very influential in advancing the philosophy of humanism. By the turn of the century the antiquities bug was so prevalent that the church, monarchs, lords, bankers, and wealthy merchants would all compete to be the first to find any antiquities connected to the apostles. These antiquities ranged from letters they wrote to even the possible skulls of the Lords disciples. The funds to pay for these antiquities, as well as the scholars and artists of the Renaissance period, not only drained the church coffers, but nearly bankrupted the Medici family. To replace the money spent, the church prayed on the citizens by selling indulgences that they claimed would release dead relatives from purgatory.

In Italy, this revival in the study of the Greek classics was aided by the influx of manuscripts brought by those fleeing the Muslims. After Constantinople fell in 1453, many Greek scholars brought along valuable manuscripts so the invading Turks could not destroy them. The Italians were not driven by a desire to understand the original text of the New Testament as much as they were by their passion to become acquainted with Homer, Plato and other classic Greek authors. This would result in a literary awakening that eventually spread from.....

(Excerpt) continue reading this article at ChicoER/Gate...

....we should not be surprised to find that the Calvinists took a very important part in American Revolution. Calvin emphasized that the sovereignty of God, when applied to the affairs of government proved to be crucial, because God as the Supreme Ruler had all ultimate authority vested in Him, and all other authority flowed from God, as it pleased Him to bestow it.
The Scriptures, God's special revelation of Himself to mankind, were taken as the final authority for all of life, as containing eternal principles, which were for all ages, and all peoples. Calvin based his views on these very Scriptures. As we read earlier, in Paul's letter to the Romans, God's Word declares the state to be a divinely established institution.
History is eloquent in declaring that the American republican democracy was born of Christianity and that form of Christianity was Calvinism. The great revolutionary conflict which resulted in the founding of this nation was carried out mainly by Calvinists--many of whom had been trained in the rigidly Presbyterian college of Princeton....
....In fact, most of the early American culture was Reformed or tied strongly to it (just read the New England Primer). Von Kuehnelt-Leddihn, a Roman Catholic intellectual and National Review contributor, asserts: “If we call the American statesmen of the late eighteenth century the Founding Fathers of the United States, then the Pilgrims and Puritans were the grandfathers and Calvin the great-grandfather…”
-- from the thread John Calvin: Religious liberty and Political liberty

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.