Renaissance Humanism
 The term "Renaissance" means "re-birth" and refers to
Europe's "cultural rebirth" in approximately 1350-1550.
 Cultural and artistic developments that began in Italy
in the late 1300s, and then spread to Northern Europe
in the late 1400s and early 1500s.
Renaissance Humanism
 Renaissance world view—the set of beliefs and
attitudes about the structure of the universe and
humans’ place within it that was shared by most
educated people.
 Appreciation of worldly pleasures.
 Personal independence and individual expression.
 Break from religious orthodoxy.
Renaissance Humanism
 Inspire free inquiry and criticism.
 Inspire confidence in the possibilities of human
thought.
 Human affairs are rationally comprehensible rather
than manipulated by supernatural means
 Faith in the benefits in science and technology.
 Interest in art as a means of human creativity.
Renaissance Humanism
 The main centers of humanism were Florence and
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Naples in Italy.
The overwhelming concern of the Middle Ages was
God. Restricted individual expression.
The overwhelming concern of the Renaissance is Man.
Rebirth of individualism.
Renaissance Humanists regarded the Middle Ages as a
'barbaric' time and tended to idealize the classical
period – Rome and Greece.
Secular and human interests became more popular.
Renaissance Humanism
 Humanism is a contrast to the medieval Christian
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view of humans as sinful and depraved.
The focus on the individual and the natural world
would result in persons questioning their personal
destinies and roles in the world.
Reliance upon faith and God weakened.
Focus on individual experience in the here and now.
Unconcerned about the supernatural world and the
eternal destiny of the soul.
Renaissance Humanism
 The philosophy that people are rational beings became
popular during the Renaissance.
 The dignity and worth of the individual was
emphasized.
 Humanists had great confidence in the potential of
humankind to better itself through knowledge
 The movement originated with the study of classical
culture and a group of subjects known collectively as
the “studia humanitatis”, or the humanities.
Renaissance Humanism
 Humanities disciplines included studies in speaking,
grammar, poetry, ethics and history.
 Preference was to study them as much as possible in
their original classical texts (mostly Latin).
 Humanism placed importance in the individual’s
responsibilities of citizenship and leadership,
including the participation in the political process in
the community.
 Emphasized the virtues of intellectual freedom and
individual expression.
Renaissance Humanism
 Francesco Petrarch , born in 1304 near Florence, is
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known as the first great humanist.
Traveled widely collecting ancient texts.
Emphasized the experiences of daily life like climbing
mountains or traveling.
Believed he could learn to make the world a better
place by studying classical literature.
Imitated classical texts in Latin writings of his own.
Renaissance Humanism
 Humanism philosophy spread first through into other
parts of Europe.
 City of Florence became a center of humanistic
learning.
 The study of texts was expanded to include Greek. This
lead to a more precise understanding of Greek
philosophy.
Renaissance Humanism
 Humanism in Northern Europe coincided with the
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Reformation.
Northern humanism is identified with Christian
humanism.
Christian humanism attempted to use the scholarly
techniques of humanism and apply them to the study
of the Bible while ignoring prior medieval
interpretations.
Spirit of individualism incited the Protestant revolt.
Individualism in religion.
Renaissance Humanism
 Humanists read biblical texts in their original Greek
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and Hebrew.
Questioned the Catholic Church’s policies and
practices.
Questioned several doctrines of the church based on
their study of the Greek New Testament.
These questions evoked more support for the reform
movement.
The best known Christian humanist was Desiderius
Erasmus.
Renaissance Humanism
 Erasmus favored flexibility and tolerance and
condemned overly rigid belief systems.
 Credited with making Renaissance humanism an
international movement.
 Attacked clerical abuses
 Argued that true religion does not depend on dogma,
ritual, or clerical power
Renaissance Humanism
 The effect of Humanism was to
 help men break free from religious orthodoxy,
 inspire free inquiry and criticism,
 inspire a new confidence in the possibilities of human
thought
 Humanism emphasizes human freedom and
responsibility.
 Humanism did not have an antireligious or antiChristian character.
Renaissance Humanism
 Humanists did not doubt the existence of God, but
emphasized human capabilities and celebrated
individual achievement and genius.
 In Shakespeare's Hamlet (written just after the
Renaissance), Hamlet describes mankind in terms that
steeped in humanism:
 "What a piece of work is a man! How noble in reason!
How infinite in faculty! In form, in moving, how express
and admirable! In action how like an angel!“