During Folly’s speech in In Praise of Folly, she begins to talk about the different church positions, one of which are priests. She brings up how they work misdeeds into their sermons when stirred up, and how no one understands who they are referring to. Erasmus, through Folly, is pointing out that when people get caught up in trying to catch the culprit, they can fail to understand that it is themself, as well as the error of the priests in committing this act.
Erasmus writes that, “But if anyone should anger these wasps, they’ll sufficiently revenge themselves in their public sermons and so point out their enemy by circumlocutions that there’s no one but understands whom ‘tis they mean, unless they understand nothing at all” (50). Priests are the ones who listen to others confess their sins and then go to God on behalf of them. Their job means they have dirt on dozens of people. If a person does something that makes them angry or slanders one of them, they then have loads of information at their disposal that they can use how they please. They want to get back at whoever has made them look shameful, and they feel pleased knowing they can in front of the whole church body. However, their methods are not direct. They use the sins the person has confessed, work them into a sermon, and then proceed to throw shade. Meanwhile, others try and figure out who the priest is talking about, oblivious to the fact that they could be the ones under attack. They fail to understand whom the priest meant, meaning they really understand nothing because they are not aware of the possible truth.
After describing how the priests use confessions to their advantage, Erasmus continues by saying “nor will they give over their barking till you throw the dogs a bone” (50). The dogs are the priests, and the barking implies how they have been pointing people out in their sermons. He means that the preachers will not stop their haggling until they know that the person they were after is well aware of their fault and feels guilty, meaning that they will then have their revenge. Their speech makes them seem like fools, for they are more concerned with throwing people under the bus and sounding elegant rather than actually teaching the word of God. The behavior by which they represent religion is full of “vileness, ignorance, rudeness, and imprudence,” which is no way for leaders of the church to act (49). Additionally, they also see nothing wrong with their actions, believing that they are pleasing God. The people should not have to run around worrying if their sins would be the next on display after they confessed because the priests should care enough for their spirituality to not use them in such a way. The latter group needed to realize they were not so high and mighty. Erasmus wants to show how they should not take up time by trying to get revenge, but should be more concerned with the well-being of the people and realize that, even though they may be in a position of power, calling someone out in such a manner is unbecoming of their place.
Erasmus is showing how we are quick to point fingers at others, but then do not realize that we could be guilty of the exact same sin. If someone did believe the priest was speaking against them, then that proved their guiltiness, not the fact that they were a target. He was getting at the point that people did need to take the time to examine themselves, but also realize that whenever the priest brought up something, it did not apply to every person in the room. Sometimes we are so busy examining others that we do not realize it applies to us. Further, as much as the words are a message for the congregation, they had meaning for the preachers as well. Words have much power, and so they should be used with discretion and not as a way to elevate oneself.
Erasmus contains many lessons in his work and calls many people and groups out, one of which is the church leaders who do not use their position like they ought. The church members should not be quick to find fault with others when they can have the same sin in their own lives, while the priests should not use their position to harm others and should only seek to use it to benefit others, not themselves.
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