Chapters 38 - 40 Summary and Analysis

Chapters 38 and 39 have Folly argue that Christianity itself is like her. She gives three brief arguments for this point and a longer fourth argument which comprises Chapter 39. First, Christianity draws all children, women, elderly and fools, and in this way is like Folly because folly draws them as well. Next, the founders of Christianity were hostile to earthly wisdom. Thirdly, the most serious and zealous Christians are clearly fools, doing all sorts of crazy things like giving away their assets, forgiving injuries over and over again, and so on, all against common sense.

The fourth argument, the argument that Chapter 39 covers, is that Christianity is like folly because the happiness that Christians seek is a kind of insanity. For this point, Folly makes three arguments. First, the nature of Christian happiness is such that preparing for it in this...