Erasmus, the first professional writer

The theologian Erasmus of Rotterdam was, according to historian Thomas Cahill, the first person in modern times to make his living solely by being a writer. The assertion is arguable, but quite likely true.

Erasmus appeared on the world scene in the 1460s, the dawn of the printing age. In Western Europe, literacy was on the rise, and the hunger for the printed word was nearly insatiable. Erasmus could write, and write well. He wrote with facility and agility.

And Cahill, in his book Heretics and Heroes, not only credits Erasmus with being the first professional writer, but also with being the person who invented the best-seller.

Even if Erasmus had not been the first professional writer, or the first best-selling author, we would remember him today for the enormous contributions he made to the ideas and creativity of his time, and the long-lasting effects they have had. Along with his contemporary, Martin Luther, Erasmus had no equal as an intellectual giant.

Erasmus took orders in the Catholic Church at an early age, but his calling as a cleric was never clearly articulated, either by him or by others who knew him. While he never left the Church as Martin Luther eventually did, his criticisms of the Church, its leadership, its ceremonies, and its wealth reached a wide and receptive audience and stirred controversies that are still debated today.

Erasmus was willing to take a clear-eyed and creative approach to the Bible. He believed that reading scripture in the original Greek and early Latin forms could bring an understanding of the scriptures’ meanings that had eluded Christians for centuries.

Early in his scholarly career, Erasmus learned Greek and began seeking out the best Greek manuscripts he could find. In 1516, he published a New Testament in Greek that set biblical scholarship on a course it still follows today. His emphasis on reading scripture in what was as close to an original manuscript as he could find brought new insights, new interpretations, and new ways of thinking about scripture. It also revealed many mistakes and inaccuracies in the long-standing Latin Vulgate translation that the Catholic Church had depended upon for nearly twelve centuries.

Erasmus’s Greek New Testament was a tour de force of biblical scholarship. By compiling what he thought were the best Greek manuscripts available, the author was able to produce a more accurate and reliable version of the New Testament than had been heretofore available. His comparisons and annotations were original and provided scholars with much valuable information as they took on the study of the New Testament.

Erasmus’s work went beyond the New Testament. He edited and published works by classical Greek authors, such as Euripides, Aristophanes, and Plutarch. His publications were a leading factor in the spread of the humanist movement that was replacing the static Catholic culture of the time.

But Erasmus did not confine himself to biblical studies. He was a prolific author on a wide variety of topics. He also traveled widely, developed and maintained many prominent friendships, and lived for a time in many parts of Europe. In Part 2, we will explore some of the books, friends, and travels of Erasmus of Rotterdam.