Moderne Devotie

The name of a religious movement in the E of the Netherlands at the end of the 14th-c. The movement, led by Geert Groote, was directed at good ethics in everyday life, and their practical approach resulted in schools, better education, and book production. Groote's followers founded the religious communities known as Brethren of the Common Life (Broeders van het gemene leven) and the Congregation of Windesheim (Congregatie van Windesheim). Both successful, they were critical and practical, focusing on education. The Devotio Moderna paved the way for humanists such as Erasmus, Agricola, and Thomas à Kempis.

Devotio Moderna was a religious movement of the Late Middle Ages. It came into advocation at the same time that the concept of Humanism meshed with Christianity to form Christian Humanism. Christian Humanism advocated studying the fundamental texts of Christianity to come to one's own relationship with God. The 15th century laity were able to study the scriptures by the advent of the printing press. With the ideals of Christian Humanism, "Devotio Moderna" recommended a more individual attitude towards belief and religion and was especially prominent in Dutch cities during the 14th and 15th centuries. From his work two kinds of communities formed, the Brethren of the Common Life, consisting mainly of laymen, as well as monasteries in the area of Windesheim in Germany.