Erasmus Flashcards
(5 cards)
Erasmus’ work titles (3)
Praise of Folly: popular satire
On Free Will: anti-Lutheran polemic
The Education of a Christian Prince: against just war doctrine
Erasmus and just war doctrine
The just war doctrine is subversive of Christ’s teachings of charity and peace
The education of a christian prince ch. “On Starting War”
The prince will make the decision of starting war most carefully, as war is a plague that wrecks everything that is good. He will only start a war if it cannot be avoided and will fight it trying to cause the least harm possible to its subject. He will make the difference between a man, born of peace and good will, and beasts, born to pillage and war.
The education of a Christian Prince, section On war among Christians
A foolish or immature ambition, no good reason.
People start war to get rich and live extravagantly, the good Christian Prince thus, must be suspicious of all wars.
There are other means than war to protect the kingdom of Christ.
Christians should unite in the abolition of war.
Erasmus’ pacifism
Rejection of war, ideal concept of peace. However, there is sometimes an exceptional necessity for war, because human nature is twofold and corrupted.
