Humanism
The New Learning, as humanism was called, was an important aspect of the Renaissance. The values inherent to this way of thinking helped to refashion entirely the intellectual and cultural life of Northern Europe. Beginning in 14th century Florence with the writer Petrarch, the movement took some time to reach England. Up until then most learning had been under the purview of the Church, but the invention of printing and the spread of literacy caused new ideas to be more wide-spread. The primary focus of humanist study was Classical literature, with a revival of study of ancient languages and writing, including the original texts of the Scriptures.
These new ideas existed side by side with medieval scholasticism, which regarded works of Aquinas and Church Fathers as the authority for all knowledge. But this new beginning of critical inquiry presented a challenge. Humanism became more and more associated with anticlericalism and religious reform, and, by 1530, it became harder for humanists to reconcile orthodox ways of thinking with these new ideas. They were at odds among themselves about whom they supported.\
Education was central to humanist program. The New Learning was creating a new ruling class trained to govern. The nobility were experiencing an economic decline and needed to learn other skills. This was a new concept of “ the gentleman.”
The early humanists in England included Thomas More who was a leader. Not all of these men were part of the royal court, but they had an international reputation and were respected everywhere. They were all highly educated and eloquent and believed that every man had a duty to master all his God-given talents, both intellectual and physical. Their studies were called liberal arts as they were believed to make men free and to realize his highest potential
| 
