What did Jill Kraye say Erasmus thought about pagan philosophers like Socrates?

Jill Kraye says Erasmus sought a synthesis: take what is best in each pagan philosopher, meaning whatever agrees with Christianity, and adopt it. Scripture and the Church fathers came first, but good advice from a pagan was welcome. In his colloquy The Godly Feast a character says pagans sometimes speak more like Christians than Christians do, and nearly prays to Saint Socrates.

• Kraye links this to his philosophy of Christ: following the Gospel precepts of love and peace, not syllogisms or ritual.
• Diarmaid MacCulloch argues this simple Christianity was really a religion of the head, simple for scholars.

Source: our own transcription of the episode. The full conversation is on In Our Time (2026-10-19). Read the whole episode summary →

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