Erasmus And German Reformation

Erasmus is an European humanist in 1500.This thesis analyzed Erasmus's ideology and actions in German Reformation in detail .It also has revealed how Erasmus affected the German Reformation. Although Erasmus didn't directly participate in German Reformation, but his work had an important effect on Reformation, which is potential and not easy to be realized, but can't be neglected. Firstly, Erasmus satirized and revealed corruption in Catholic Church through the form of literature and arts. It supplied a lot of weighted shells for Martin Luther to attack Catholic Church. Secondly, New Testament that Erasmus edited in Greek was main reference of Martin Luther's German edition. Thirdly, Erasmus's German edition helped Luther with disseminating Gospel. Erasmus contributed to the formation of protestant doctrine and his contribution can't be neglected.Martin Luther is a leader in Reformation. This thesis has compared Erasmus with Martin Luther on humanism, religion, contribution to development of literature, method at church reformation, freewill, politics, attitude to pope in Roman and Catholic Church in order to explain their different functions in German Reformation.