About
Ernest Renan, born in Tréguier in Brittany, was a major intellectual of the 19th century. Trained for the priesthood, he abandoned it in 1845, refusing to reconcile dogma with historical criticism. A philologist and historian of religions, he is famous for his 'Life of Jesus' (1863), which treated Jesus as a historical figure, causing an international scandal. A professor at the Collège de France, he later became its administrator. His essay 'What Is a Nation?' (1882) left a lasting mark on political thought. He also authored 'Recollections of My Youth' and the 'History of the Origins of Christianity'.
* 1823-02-27 — † 1892-10-02
Major works
- Vie de Jésus (1863)historical essay
- Histoire des origines du christianisme (1863-1881)historical work
- Qu'est-ce qu'une nation ? (1882)lecture
- Souvenirs d'enfance et de jeunesse (1883)memoir
- Histoire du peuple d'Israël (1887-1893)historical work
Key milestones
- 1845Renounced the priesthood and left the seminary.
- 1862Appointed professor at the Collège de France, then suspended after the publication of 'Life of Jesus'.
- 1882Delivered the lecture 'What Is a Nation?' at the Sorbonne.
Themes
Historical criticism and religionNational identityPhilology and Semitic languagesHistory of ChristianityMemory and childhood
Sources: college-de-france.fr · heritage.bnf.fr · academie-francaise.fr