Religion 69
the days of Greece and Rome was that of the Gothic cathe-
drals of France and England, beginning about the time of
the earlier Renaissance in the eleventh or twelfth century,
and coming to its height in those that followed. In the
guilds of workmen there was glad freedom as they brought
by their chisel out of the stone their own imaginings, and in
unison fulfilled the one great purpose of erecting a glorious
temple worthy of Him who inhabiteth eternity and yet
stooped to redeem the children of men.
We cannot linger upon the wonderful accomplishment of
the Roman Church in subduing the pagan nations of central
and northern Europe, and by its authority imposing upon
their minds a sense of order, teaching that the moral law
and that of nature are both of Divine origin. As we shall
see this far-reaching principle, no less than its architecture,
has greatly influenced our modern culture.
The Renaissance was the Age of Invention and Discov-
ery, and it has often been emphasized as also a revolt from
authority, especially that of religion. But this may be
overdone. That there was a revolt from authority is
shown by the Reformation itself ; in fact a new era in his-
tory begins with the assertion by the individual of his right
to approach God himself and to realize himself in response
to the dictates of his own conscience; this conviction also
found expression in national life. But the rise of the liberal
spirit of Humanism was the most potent element in what
is called the Renaissance. In one aspect it was a reassertion
of the spirit which in paganism had gone forth to explore
with zest and to find joy in the present world. That this
spirit, however, was not incompatible with religion is shown
by the fact that among its leaders were Petrarch, Vittorino,
Pico della Mirandola, Erasmus, Michelangelo, Raphael,
and Leonardo da Vinci. These words of Professor Jebb,