What conclusions does More want his 16th century readers to draw about the Christian beliefs and practices in Europe
What conclusions does More want his sixteenth-century readers to draw about the Christian beliefs and practices in Europe?
In past examinations of More’s Utopia, questions have often been raised as to the aim of the presentation of religion on the island. The inhabitants of Utopia are essentially heathen, in contrast to the Christianity of Europe. However, this raises two points – firstly, that the Utopians may have been heathen, but they were virtuous heathen as opposed to the “wicked professed Christian” of sixteenth century Europe. Thus is More presenting the view that virtuous living should be chosen over the possibly corrupt nature of Christianity? Also, this suggests to that virtuous living can be achieved independently of Christianity or indeed any other religion. The second point which is raised is the question of how much of the historical context in which Utopia was written has crept into the work. Though Utopia was published before the major religious upheaval in England began, the reformation commenced really with the advent of Luther on the continent and his ninety-five theses on indulgences in 1517. Thus it would have been nigh on impossible for More to have written such a work with its many subtle attacks on the structure of society and its pointed references to religion without having been somewhat influenced by the contextual situation. It has been definitively conceded that Utopia is not entirely fictional in this sense. However, it is whether or not Utopia is an attack on Christian beliefs and practices that is to be the primary concern from here on.
Nevertheless, the context of the work remains extremely important, especially concerning the “Christian humanist” movement, if it can be classed as such. Erasmus, whom More met initially in 1499, concerned himself with the question which he “believed was paramount in those years [and which was] at once great and simple: “what is it to be Christian?”” and it cannot be denied that More was influenced by the European. More was also influence by the works of the ancient philosophers, in accordance with his status as a humanist, especially Plato (notably his Republic and Laws), Aristotle (Politics along with others) and Cicero’s dialogues. However Erasmus’ question forms some sort of basis for the issue of religion in Utopia. It raises the concern of whether moral and virtuous living without knowledge of the scriptures can still, in essence, be classed as Christianity. In presenting his sixteenth-century readers with this idea, More challenges the form of Christianity which was rife in Europe at the time i.e., knowledge of the scriptures without the morality and righteousness that they preach. His aim was, perhaps, to cause them to look at their own lives and question their own moral standards. This is not a casual opinion - More knew much about the state of the Church as he was a devout Catholic who followed monk-like habits and had been in the service of Cardinal Morton from 1490 until 1492. However returning to the idea of virtuous living versus Christianity, Erasmus suggested in The Cynic that there was no difference between pagan virtues and Christian – in order to live virtuously all of the qualities a man must practice are essentially Christian ones. Christianity was thus regarded not as a religion as such but more as a way of life – one could not just be Christian, one had to live as a Christian. “Whatever moves men toward that way of life is Christian. And if it comes from a Lucian, who is not a Christian, it is no less Christian for that.” More came to thoroughly endorse these beliefs as expressed by his European friend.
