Devotio moderna

The Modern Devotion ( Latin for " new piety " ) was a religious movement within the late medieval church. It originated in the late 14th century in the Netherlands and spread in the 15th century, especially in North West Germany. In the 16th century it lost its force, however, had continued in the thinking of the German Renaissance humanists and the Reformers.

History

The Origins of the Modern Devotion associated with Geert Groote (1340-1384) from Deventer, from its activities initially herleitete the non- monastic movement of the Brothers of the Common Life; later the Windesheim Congregation, a reformed in the spirit of the Modern Devotion Augustinian Canons community was born. Particularly widespread the movement was in the 14th and 15th century Dutch and Lower Rhenish-Westphalian areas. Sometimes it is considered as predecessor of Lutheranism and Calvinism. Even Erasmus of Rotterdam was brought up in this mindset.

Since the Modern Devotion, the legally established church, the outer reception of the sacraments and the vows and rules of monastic orders less valued than the individual relationship with Christ, the Dominicans accused them at the Council of Constance ( 1414-18 ) of heresy. However, John Gerson defended and prevented a process.

Important work of the Modern Devotion is the " Imitation of Christ " by Thomas a Kempis.

Peculiarity

The Modern Devotion went about the same time noticeable in which humanism with Christianity linked to the Christian humanism. The latter called for the study of the fundamental texts of Christianity to establish a personal relationship with God. The Brethren of the Common Life were their main job and source of income in the copying and binding of books. In the 16th century, the texts then by the development of the printing press were becoming more widely available.

The Modern Devotion drew on the sources of Christian mysticism and was the late medieval spiritualism close. You " ... aimed at a particular personal and inward piety from that not so much drew its strength from the celebration of the Church's liturgy and of the sacraments, but rather from the silent contemplation of the suffering of Christ and in the spirit of the Sermon on the Mount ". However, they remained "completely true to the Church " ( August Franzen ).