Church History, Volume 2 (of 3)Kurtz, J. H. (Johann Heinrich)
History
Church History, Volume 2 (of 3)
Kurtz, J. H. (Johann Heinrich)
Church history
called him to account for his criticism of the Vulgate. He died
in A.D. 1522.
§ 120.9. =Humanism and the Reformation of the Sixteenth
Century.=--Humanists, in common with the reformers, inveighed
against the debased scholasticism as well as against the
superstition of the age. They did so however on very different
grounds, and conducted their warfare by very different methods.
While the reformers employed the word of God, and strove
after the salvation of the soul, the humanists employed wit
and sarcasm, and sought after the temporal well-being of
men. Hence the reaction of the despised scholasticism and the
contemned monasticism against humanism was often in the right.
A reformation of the church by humanism alone would have been
a return to naked paganism. But, on the other hand, classical
studies afforded men who desired a genuine reformation of
the church a rich, linguistic, philosophical, and scientific
culture, without which, as applied to researches in church
history, the exposition of Scripture, and the revision of
doctrine, the reforms of the sixteenth century could hardly
have been carried out in a comprehensive and satisfactory manner.
The most permanent advantage won for the church and theology
by the revival of learning was the removal of =Holy Scripture=
from under the bushel, and giving it again its rightful place
as the lamp of the church. It pointed back from the Vulgate,
of which since A.D. 1500, some ninety-eight printed editions
had appeared, to the original text, condemned the allegorical
method of exposition, awakened an appreciation of the grammatical
and historical system of interpretation, afforded scientific
apparatus by its philological studies, and by issuing printed
Bibles secured the spread of the original text. From the time
of the invention of printing the Jews were active in printing
the Old Testament. From A.D. 1502 a number of Christian scholars,
under the presidency of Ximenes, wrought at Alcala at the great
Complutensian Polyglott, published in A.D. 1520. It contained the
Hebrew and Greek texts, the Targums, the LXX., and the Vulgate,
as well as a Latin translation of the LXX. and of the Targums,
with a much-needed grammatical and lexical apparatus. Daniel
Bomberg of Antwerp published at Venice various editions of the
Old Testament, some with, some without, rabbinical commentaries.
His assistants were Felix Pratensis, a learned Jew; and Jacob ben
Chaijim, a rabbi of Tunis. As the costly Complutensian Polyglott
was available only to a few, Erasmus did great service by his
handy edition of the Greek New Testament, notwithstanding its
serious critical deficiencies. Erasmus himself brought out five
successive editions, but very soon more than thirty impressions
were exhausted.
THIRD DIVISION.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account