RHENAN Ernest (Renan Ernest)

(1823-1892)
Ernest Renan was born February 27, 1823 in Tregami language (Brittany). Intending to become a priest, Renan went to a small seminary in Paris and then in a large seminary of St. Sulpicius. In 1845, when he lost his faith, he left the seminary and continued his education at the Sorbonne. This turbulent period of his life Renan described in the memoirs of childhood and adolescence (Souvenirs d'enfance et de jeunesse, 1883), where there is a famous passage, known as 'prayer on the Acropolis'. In 1848 he wrote the book The Future of Science (L'Avenir de la Science, publ. 1890), which proclaims faith in science: 'Science is a religion ... Only science can solve all the problems and eventually it will replace religion '.
In 1850 he was appointed librarian of the National Library, and in 1860 led an archaeological expedition to Palestine. By this time, Renan became an authority on Oriental languages and history of religions. In 1852 he defended his doctoral thesis on 'Averroes and Averroism'. In 8-volume history of the origin of Christianity (Histoire des origins du Christianisme, . 1863-1883), he develops his position rationalist critique, . particularly bright - in the first volume of The Life of Jesus (Vie de Jsus, . 1863) to explain the wonders, . Jesus did,
. In this work, since the publication caused a scandal among French Catholics, the author refers to the person of Jesus, not without sympathy. Renan is less favorable to the Apostle Paul (Sv. Paul, Saint Paul, 1869), making no secret of contempt for him and placing him responsible for the fact that Christianity has moved away from the gentle teachings of Jesus. In 1862 Renan was appointed professor of Jewish language in the College de France, a year later he was fired because of his heretical views, but after the fall of Napoleon III once again took the chair (1871). At the end of life Renan attitude to science without the former enthusiasm. He was no longer confident that science will find a solution to all problems, and this skepticism was reflected in his philosophical dialogues and fragments (Dialogues et fragments philosophiques, 1876). Here again confirmed pantheistic concept of Renan, drawing on them in German philosophy, especially in the writings of Hegel. God is Renan - not a personal God is the God who dwells - like the world itself - in the formation.

'Philosophical drama' The priest of Nemi (Le Prtre de Nmi, 1885) and Zhuarskaya Superior (L'Abesse de Jouarre, 1886) have made the sensory inputs to the atmosphere of skepticism characteristic of Renan. The intellectual and moral reform in France (Rforme intellectuelle et morale de la France, 1872) is an important document, which allows to judge the political theories of Renan. In this work he shows himself as a conservative supporter of the monarchy, opponent of universal suffrage, ready, however, agree with the fair republic.
Renan had a great influence on the generation of 1870. Renan died in Paris on October 2, 1892.