Religion and social acceptance played paramount roles in the Renaissance

Religion and social acceptance played paramount roles in the Renaissance and the Reformation, each through different paths of idealism. Here we discover how two separate elements interact and become one in human fulfillment. The study of Erasmus and Castiglione, two individuals, that have so clearly shaped religion and society today, has truly been eye opening for me. As I read their works and try to analyze the elements that drive them forward, I see many attributes of myself within them, including spiritual soul searching, the desire for social acceptance and yes, vanity. I am stimulated as to how the two paths so clearly cross and eventually become one.
Erasmus was a key element in Northern / Christian Humanism, which was more concerned with theology, creating a movement for moral and religious reform. The thread of religion is deeply seated in the Renaissance but, Castiglione was better known as the arbiter of aristocratic manners. He demanded, that the preservance of composure and self-control must be maintained under all circumstances (Pegasokseen).
Erasmus was one of the greatest scholars of all time and worked diligently in the defense of cultural language, the revision of Christian traditions and the renewal of the educational system. He was known as the Prince of Humanists (Ciger). Castiglione, on the other hand, focused on the behavioral attributes; he studied the changes in the late medieval culture and effectively created a “guide book” for the elite to gain attention and favor.
We are the sum of our perceptions, but as I see these two, I look at the many facets that shape our lives. Erasmus, in the spiritual light of better understanding our faith, and the need for higher education. Castiglione, in the realism of the here and now, the need for social acceptance, and affirmation. The need for balance in our lives is extremely important, and when you combine realism with spiritu…