What was Renaissance humanism?

Renaissance humanism was a cultural and intellectual movement centered on the importance of humanity, originating in Italy and spreading across Europe from the 14th to the 16th centuries. It sought to revive the literary legacy, moral philosophy, and cultural heritage of Greco-Roman classical antiquity. Rather than replacing religion, most early humanists were Christians who used classical studies to purify and renew Christian faith and civic life.

What we know

• Renaissance humanism emerged from the study of classical antiquity as a worldview centered on the nature and importance of humanity. [2]
• Humanists studied the studia humanitatis, which encompassed grammar, rhetoric, history, poetry, moral philosophy, and Latin and Greek literatures. [2]
• During the Renaissance, most humanists were Christians who aimed to renew Christianity by returning to sources like the Gospels and Church Fathers. [2]
• The movement began in Italy during the 14th century, heavily associated with figures like Petrarch, before spreading across Western Europe. [2, 3]

Where to go next

• compared withHow did humanism manifest in Northern Europe?
• the bigger pictureWhat was the role of Christian humanism?
• how it workedHow did the printing press affect the Renaissance?
• a case in pointWho were prominent Italian Renaissance patrons?
• what followedHow did the Reformation interact with humanism?
• an unexpected connectionHow did a classical Greek philosopher influence Renaissance thought?The intellectual basis of the Renaissance was partly derived from Protagoras's ancient maxim that man is the measure of all things.

Sources

• [1]renaissance humanism (Wikidata Q846933) · CC0 1.0
• [2]Renaissance humanism · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [3]Renaissance · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [4]Christian humanism · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [5]Renaissance humanism in Northern Europe · CC BY-SA 4.0