Changes

By the 1400s there were numerous great artists, and also advances in the existing Gothic Art.  By the year 1500 the High Renaissance was in full bloom.

By the 1400s there were numerous great artists, and also advances in the existing Gothic Art.  By the year 1500 the High Renaissance was in full bloom.

But a schism in Christianity in Europe was just around the corner. In 1505, a law student named Martin Luther was caught outside in the middle of a thunderstorm.  A bolt of lightning struck the ground near him.  Terrified, he cried out for protection and promised to become a monk if he survived the storm.  He did survive, and then left law school to join an Augustinian monastery.

But a schism in Christianity in Europe was just around the corner. On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther founded Protestantism when he nailed 95 “Theses” or issues to the door of his Wittenberg Church in what is now Germany.  A decade later, in 1529, the English King Henry VIII founded another Christian denomination for an entirely different reason:  he wanted the pope to approve his divorce from Catherine of Aragon, and when the pope refused, the king founded the Church of England and seized all the property of the Catholic Church in England.  Other Protestant faiths also began in the 1500s, and the Catholic Church responded with an internal reformation of its own, often called the counter-reformation.  

But before we reach those events, let's first review the origin and development of the English language.  English does not come from Sanskrit or Hebrew or Greek or Latin. The Roman empire never conquered Germany, and English is a separate Germanic language.

 

But before we discuss the Renaissance and the weighty issues of the Reformation, this is the perfect time to pause for a moment and review the origin and development of the English language.  English is a relatively young language. It does not come from Sanskrit or Hebrew or Greek or Latin. Recall that the Roman empire could never conquer the region of present-day Germany, and English is a Germanic Language within the Indo-European category of languages.  Let's learn something about the history of the English language.

== The History of the English Language ==

== The History of the English Language ==

A good dictionary will provide a date of origin for a word, and old dates are "13c" or A.D. 1200.  For example, the date of first use of the word "chase", meaning "the hunting of wild animals," is listed by Merriam-Webster dictionary as "13c".  More modern words, such as "homeschool" (1980), have more recent dates of first use.

A good dictionary will provide a date of origin for a word, and old dates are "13c" or A.D. 1200.  For example, the date of first use of the word "chase", meaning "the hunting of wild animals," is listed by Merriam-Webster dictionary as "13c".  More modern words, such as "homeschool" (1980), have more recent dates of first use.

One can spend hours enjoyably learning about the history of human thought simply by looking at when words were first created for important concepts.  For example, by looking up the word "tyranny" in the dictionary we see that it was developed in the 14th century (1300s), which was about the time that feudalism was being replaced by nation-states in England and France. One can piece together much of English history simply by reading a dictionary!

One can spend hours enjoyably learning about the history of human thought simply by looking at when words were first created for important concepts.  For example, by looking up the word "tyranny" in the dictionary we see that it was developed in the 14th century (1300s), which was about the time that feudalism was being replaced by centralized nation-states in England and France.  The study of the origin of a word is known as "etymology".  

 

The date of origin of a word can even resolve historical debates.  Some (including your instructor) feel that "genocide", which is the mass killing by government of a particular ethnic group, arose only after the development of the evolutionary theory of "survival of the fittest," and gun control by centralized governments to remove the ability of citizens to defend themselves.<ref>Note that gun control (or in times before guns, close government regulation of any weapons) would have been impossible under feudalism, because there was no centralized government, and workers on the manors had their own weapons.</ref>  Because the "survival of the fittest" theory was not taught until the late 1800s, genocide did not occur prior to the 20th century.  Others, particularly promoters of the evolutionary theory, claim that genocide occurred earlier also.  But look in the dictionary at the date of origin of the word "genocide": 1944.  If it had occurred in prior centuries, then a word would have developed to describe it.

 

The number "six", for example, is listed as having an origin of "bef. 12c," which means before A.D. 1100.  That places the date of first use of simple numbers as before Middle English.  It is not surprising that numbers would originate earlier than most (but not all) other words, as numbers were essential in keeping track of people and things.

 

More generally, the study of the origin of a word is known as "etymology". Some even specialize in the field of "linguistics", which includes all aspects of languages.  Beware, however, distortions in the field by those who insist that all languages are equal. They also claim that all religions are equal in truth or value.  But just as different religions are not equal in truth, different languages are not equal in value or usefulness.  Every language has advantages or disadvantages, and the path of world history is in some ways the triumph of superior languages over inferior ones.

===Old and Middle English===

===Old and Middle English===

John Wycliffe was nearly 200 years ahead of "his time," meaning he was that far ahead of the Reformation that came later.  For that reason he is called the "Morning star of the Reformation."<ref name="Wycliffe">http://www.greatsite.com/timeline-english-bible-history/john-wycliffe.html</ref>  A brilliant scholar, Wycliffe developed his own views of Christianity and attracted a following of itinerant preachers known as the "Lollards".  Wycliffe simplified aspects of Christianity for peasants who otherwise had difficulties understanding it, such as developing a doctrine of the Lord's Supper in only twelve short sentences, and having his itinerant preachers teach that everywhere.  The chancellor of the University of Oxford pronounced some of Wycliffe's theories as heretical.  Wycliffe eventually criticized scholasticism, monasteries, and the papacy, and became increasingly disliked by the English royal hierarchy.

John Wycliffe was nearly 200 years ahead of "his time," meaning he was that far ahead of the Reformation that came later.  For that reason he is called the "Morning star of the Reformation."<ref name="Wycliffe">http://www.greatsite.com/timeline-english-bible-history/john-wycliffe.html</ref>  A brilliant scholar, Wycliffe developed his own views of Christianity and attracted a following of itinerant preachers known as the "Lollards".  Wycliffe simplified aspects of Christianity for peasants who otherwise had difficulties understanding it, such as developing a doctrine of the Lord's Supper in only twelve short sentences, and having his itinerant preachers teach that everywhere.  The chancellor of the University of Oxford pronounced some of Wycliffe's theories as heretical.  Wycliffe eventually criticized scholasticism, monasteries, and the papacy, and became increasingly disliked by the English royal hierarchy.

At the time the Church prohibited new translations of the Bible, in order to maintain control and combat heresies.  Wycliffe died peacefully in 1384, without having been excommunicated by the Church or executed by the King.  He was blamed in England, however, for supposedly causing revolt by the peasants (such as the Peasants' Revolt of 1381).  After his death a Council of the Church reviewed Wycliffe's theories and declared some of theories to be heretical, which then required digging up his buried bones and burning them.

At the time the Church prohibited new translations of the Bible, in order to maintain control and combat heresies.  Wycliffe died peacefully in 1384, without having been excommunicated by the Church or executed by the King.  He was blamed in England, however, for supposedly causing revolt by the peasants (such as the Peasants' Revolt of 1381).  Later a Council of the Church declared some of Wycliffe's theories to have been heretical.

Here is the Parable of the Prodigal Son from Wycliffe's English translation of the Bible in 1389 (compare it to your own at Luke 15:11-21):<ref>http://pages.towson.edu/duncan/LukeMEPDE.htm</ref>

Here is the Parable of the Prodigal Son from Wycliffe's English translation of the Bible in 1389 (compare it to your own at Luke 15:11-21):<ref>http://pages.towson.edu/duncan/LukeMEPDE.htm</ref>