Works of Humanist Erasmus 

In many ways, Jefferson’s education mirrored that of Desiderius Erasmus, the Dutch humanist whose classical training allowed him to devote his life to producing numerous editions of Greek and Latin authors. As the voice of humanism, Erasmus was soon seen as a challenge to certain tenets of the Reformation.

In works such as In Praise of Folly and the Colloquia, a kind of textbook and guide to life, he managed to alienate Luther and others with his insistent humanism, prompting Luther to complain that: “My liking for Erasmus declines from day to day…. The human is of more value to him than the Divine.”

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