Question 1

True or false: Erasmus famously debated Martin Luther and later sided with the Protestant Reformation.

Accepted Answer

False. Erasmus debated Luther on free will but remained Catholic, refusing to break with Rome despite criticizing Church abuses.

Question 2

True or false: Erasmus wrote 'In Praise of Folly' as a serious theological treatise.

Accepted Answer

False. It’s a satirical mock-encomium, poking fun at theologians, monks, and popes, written in 1509 as a witty entertainment for Thomas More.

Question 3

True or false: Erasmus was the first to translate the New Testament into a modern language like German.

Accepted Answer

False. Erasmus published the Greek text and a new Latin translation, but Martin Luther translated the New Testament into German in 1522.

Question 4

True or false: Erasmus was born in Rotterdam, but his exact birth year is unknown.

Accepted Answer

True. Born around 1466 (possibly 1469) in Rotterdam, his precise birth date remains uncertain due to lack of records.

Question 5

True or false: Erasmus never formally joined any religious order despite being a priest.

Accepted Answer

True. Though ordained a priest, Erasmus avoided monastic vows and lived as a secular scholar, criticizing monastic excesses while remaining Catholic.

Question 6

True or false: Erasmus’s Greek New Testament corrected many errors in the Latin Vulgate, sparking reform.

Accepted Answer

True. His 1516 edition revealed translation flaws in the Vulgate, challenging Church authority and fueling both Protestant and Catholic reforms.

Question 7

True or false: Erasmus wrote a satirical guide to table manners for boys.

Accepted Answer

True. His 'De Civilitate Morum Puerilium' (1530) became a bestseller, teaching kids not to pick their nose or slurp soup.

Question 8

True or false: Erasmus was the illegitimate son of a priest, which affected his early life.

Accepted Answer

True. His father was a priest, making Erasmus illegitimate. This hindered his inheritance and pushed him toward a clerical education.

Erasmus of Rotterdam Trivia Questions