How did Erasmus's scholarship influence the Reformation?
My labors, particularly my critical edition of the Greek New Testament, provided a crucial foundation for many who sought reform. By making the original text more accessible and highlighting its nuances, I inadvertently equipped others with the tools to question established interpretations. While I myself remained a loyal son of the Church, I harbored no illusions about its imperfections. My critiques, often delivered with a touch of humor in works like *In Praise of Folly*, aimed to expose the absurdities and corruptions that had crept in. I championed a more learned and spiritual approach to faith, and it is hardly my fault if others took those principles in directions I did not anticipate. I always preferred gentle persuasion over violent upheaval.