Can ideas be dangerous? They can help people think of new ways to make society better. New ideas can be a threat to powerful people.
As humanist ideas spread from Italy to other parts of Europe, they caused problems. Some people were excited seeing the world in new ways. However, the Catholic Church saw change as a threat to its power. Erasmus (1469–1536) was a Dutch humanist scholar. He thought religion might benefit from new ideas.
Erasmus saw dishonesty in the Catholic Church. He said it should be simpler, with less ritual and ceremony. He wanted to read the New Testament in its original language, so he learned Greek. All Christians should be able to read the Bible, he said. His approach to learning led to big changes for religion.
