Note 171 — Chapter VI · ERASMUS

The question about Erasmus’s translation of this word came up in the discussion between Sir Thomas More and Tyndale about the use made by the latter of the word congregatio for Church in his version of the New Testament. More writes: “Then he asketh me why I have not contended with Erasmus, whom he calls my darling, all this long time, for translating this word ecclesia into this word congregatio, and then he cometh forth with his proper taunt, that I favour him of likelihood for making of his book of Moriæ in my house.… Now for his translation of ecclesia by congregatio his deed is nothing like Tyndale’s. For the Latin tongue had no Latin word used before for the Church but the Greek word ecclesia, therefore Erasmus in his new translation gave it a Latin word.… Erasmus also meant no heresy therein, as appears by his writings against the heretics.” (English Works, pp. 421, 422.)