Desiderius Erasmus

Dutch priest Desiderius Erasmus (1466?–1536) is considered one of the greatest scholars of the Renaissance. He edited a Greek edition of the New Testament, which he then translated into Latin. More notable than the text itself were his preface and critical notes, which suggested a need for reform within the Catholic Church. Though not as outspoken as his friend, Protestant founder Martin Luther (1483–1546), his eloquence and intellect when he did write about reforms caused some within the church to accuse him of being the real architect of the Reformation that split the Catholic Church. Rather than write directly about issues, he often chose to use satire, as with his most famous work, The Praise of Folly.

In "A Complaint of Peace Spurned and Rejected by the Whole World," published in 1517, Erasmus makes his plea for a new era defined...