secularism: this world matters: money, nationality, everyda

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11 9-10-09Notes

• Essence of the Renaissance
• Contrasting Medieval values
• The Renaissance in Northern Europe
• The Italian vs. the Northern Renaissance

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Essence of the Renaissance

• Classicism Valuing Greece and Rome the
  Classical Age and Classical ideas
• Humanism Man is the measure Humans develop a
  critical sense of things
• Realism Reality is valued it needs to be
  explored and examined
• Individualism Individual has value
• Secularism This world matters money,
  nationality, everyday life
• Rationalism Human reason important

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Contrasting Medieval Values

• Medievalism The religious society of the Middle
  Ages is the best of all possible worlds
• Scholasticism Faith is the highest value all
  knowledge must conform to religious dogma
• Illusory Reality The world is symbolic, an
  encoded message from God to be deciphered
• Individual insignificance The individual is not
  important except as placed in power by God
• Non-secularism The afterlife of Heaven is the
  goal this world is only a means to that end
• Faith Human reason cannot be trusted it can be
  distorted and deluded

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The Renaissance in Northern Europe

• Starts later Ends later
• Italian Renaissance c.1350-1494/1527
• Northern Renaissance c. 1530-1603/1616
• Northern Europe was farther from Rome and the
  control of the Catholic Church
• Fused with and inseparable from the Reformation
  (1517)
• Greater involvement with religion, more pious
• Christian Humanism Erasmus, More, et. al.
• Applied Humanistic rationalism and education to
  religion and reform
• Involved with social reform based on Christian
  ideals and ethics
• Definite attempt to bring social change based on
  the values of the Renaissance
• More involvement with Middle and Lower classes

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Italian vs. Northern Renaissance

• Italy Began first c. 1350 ending 1527
• North Began after Reformation c. 1530-1620
• Italy Change driven by Classicism and Humanism
• North Change driven by religious reform and
  revolt against the Church authority, therefore
  more pious
• Italy Imitation of ancient Greece and Rome
• North Desire to get back to Classical Christian
  values
• Italy Dominated by wealthy merchants
• North Influenced by middle class working for
  social reform
• Italy Attempted to reconcile Classical paganism
  with Medieval Christianity
• North created Christian Humanism Northern
  Renaissance figures attempting to find ethical
  compromise reform religion and bring social
  change