Two words as synonymous with Christians as blood oil is to George Dubya. The phrase is best associated with the renewal of faith that many seekers-of-salvation experience due to a sort of epiphany-inducing life trauma or a stint with
the band Korn, but the term also lends itself to those that have achieved an enlightenment of a spiritual or intellectual nature. It had much relevance seven centuries ago when the Renaissance began and spread throughout Europe like wildfire and everyone seemed to catch a spark that ignited their own sort of rebirth.
Many believe this monumental event of creative resurgence was specific to only the wealthiest of Italian society and though the Renaissance had one of its first centers in Florence, it emerged everywhere in Europe where people were exploring the infinite potential of the mind, body, and soul. Many renovations and innovations emerged from this period, many that continue to be celebrated today as prime examples of art, literature, philosophy, and science.
The Renaissance may have passed nearly a millennium ago, but the pursuit of knowledge, creativity, individualism, humanistic perspective, and overall advancement of the self that it celebrated are timeless. These themes are even more pertinent now, as we live in an age where mediocrity has become the social norm and often encouraged by leaders interested in exploiting their power by keeping their constituents superficially entertained rather than profoundly engaged in their own self-discovery and achievement. It was circa 1450, at the start of the Renaissance, that Johannes Gutenberg’s printing press was utilized to spread information that led to awareness and thought. His work and that of many other such Renaissance masters as da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Donatello are commemorated as we continue to encourage progressive thinking and the growth of knowledge through the written word. |
