- Ad fontes
"Ad fontes" is a Latin expression which means "to the sources" (lit. "to the fountain"). The phrase epitomizes the renewed study of Greek and Latin classics in
Renaissance humanism . ["The fundamental feature of Renaissance Humanism is summed up in the concept of ad fontes. It was believed that by studying the original texts whether, classical or Biblical, that there could be an actualization of the events described." [http://www.passionforgrace.org.uk/Erasluther.html] ] Similarly, theProtestant Reformation called for renewed attention to theBible as the primary source of Christian faith. The idea in both cases was that sound knowledge depends on the earliest and most fundamental sources.This phrase is related to "
ab initio ", which means "from the beginning." Whereas "ab initio" implies a flow of thought fromfirst principles to the situation at hand, "ad fontes" is a retrogression, a movement back towards an origin, which ideally would be clearer than the present situation.The phrase "ad fontes" occurs in the
Latin Vulgate version ofPsalm 41 ::"quemadmodum desiderat cervus ad fontes aquarum ita desiderat anima mea ad te Deus". [ [http://www.drbo.org/lvb/chapter/21041.htm Latin Vulgate Bible, Book Of Psalms Psalm 41 ] ]
According to
Hans-Georg Gadamer , ["Truth and Method ", p.502 of the 1989 revised English translation.] there is evidence provided by E. Lledo that Spanish humanists drew the expression from this source.References
*J.D. Tracy, "Ad Fontes: The Humanist Understanding of Scripture as Nourishment for the Soul," in "Christian Spirituality II: High Middle Ages and Reformation", (1987), editor Jill Raitt
Notes
External links
* [http://www.thelatinlibrary.com/classics Classics]
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