The Father Land

The role of Germany in European history has struck me a lot this week. In my cultural history course on the modern era we are currently at the opening of World War II and discussing the ever evolving role of Germany in the political world of Europe. It seems as though the Germans enjoy creating revolutions which eventually spread throughout the continent and forever change the course of history.

Or course, Martin Luther created an entirely different kind of revolution than the third Reich. And of course, Nazism and Lutheranism produced far different changes. However, I think it does point to the influence over German thought and the power of the people to shake things up. I wonder if it is primarily due to Germany's location in the heart of Europe, which would make its role in European life inevitable. Of course, simply pointing to its geography would be unfair. There also must be something unique about the character of the German people. Hmmm....

The Web of The Humanities

One reason I love HUST is that it brings the richness of the material alive by allowing it to be fully contextualized and connected. I think this point is illustrated while reading Erasmus. The meaning of his text is greatly enhanced when I have an understanding of his little letter to his friend Thomas Moore( I hear he is kind of a big deal) and his relationship with Martin Luther (the 16th century reformer - not the civil rights activist). If I did not know the climate in which he was writing "The Praise of Folly" and his personal background the criticisms of the church and theologians would have gone right over my head ( at least more so than they already do).

However, I think it is even more significant the way in which contextualizing a work can add to a greater understanding of the time period and the broader theme which it is addressing. "The Praise of Folly" is great but it is most beneficial to me in so much as it adds to my understanding of Erasmus, the world he lives in, and the realities surrounding this period in Western Civilization. Without an interdisciplinary approach to material a great deal is lost and some might say it is ALL IN FOLLY