On the cusp of widespread upheaval and religious warfare, Dutch priest and theologian Desiderius Erasmus (circa 1466–1536) decided to lampoon monks, theologians, and ordinary people in a book that made him one of the most read authors of his time.
But Erasmus’s goal wasn’t to ridicule. It was to champion modesty, the lack of which he blamed for the disastrous conflicts that troubled his world. With timely words still relevant today, “In Praise of Folly” called readers to give up dogma and embrace humility as a guide to develop wisdom.
