Through a close study of both primary and secondary materials in theology, spirituality, mysticism, and ecclesial history, this course will introduce students to the major forms and institutions of religious thought and practice in medieval Christian Europe.
The course will begin by studying the theological foundations of self and world in the work of Augustine before turning to an elucidation of central religious institutions such as the papacy (and its relationship to imperial Rome), the monastery (we will study the rule of Saint Benedict and will visit a Benedictine monastery), the cathedral (we will visit Saint John Lateran and Saint Peter’s), and the university (and the scholastic philosophy to which it gave rise). We will then turn to alternative expressions of medieval and early modern religious faith in the work of several mystics, notably Catherine of Siena, Teresa of Avila and John of the Cross.
Learning outcomes:
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
- Define and delimit the medieval period from antiquity and modernity both historically and thematically.
- Understand the particular and independent ways in which the medieval period was shaped by the institutions of the Papacy, the monastery, the cathedral and the university.
- Recognize, compare and analyze the reflection of and contribution to the medieval worldview of such figures as Augustine, Thomas Aquinas, Francis of Assisi and Catherine of Sienna.
- Express the above understanding through active class participation, written examinations, and a group presentation, wherein students will focus their interest on a specific topic or personality within the medieval period, present their research to the class, and facilate group discussion.
Method of presentation:
Lecture, discussion, and field study.
LANGUAGE OF INSTRUCTION: English
Required work and form of assessment:
Class participation (20%), Midterm (20%), Group presentation and paper (25%), Final examination (35%).
content:
I. Introduction and Overview
Week 1: Session 1: Introduction and Historical Overview
Session 2: Readings: Lynch, The Medieval Church, Chapter 1.
On-site visit: The Pantheon
II. Theological Foundations of Medieval Christianity
Week 2: Session 1: Theological Anthropology: Augustine
Readings: St. Augustine, The Confessions, Books I (pp. 14-25) Books II (entire), Book III (pp. 43-50, 55-57).
Session 2: Augustine, continued.
Readings: The Confessions, Book IV (pp. 58-68); Book VI (entire); Book VII (125-136).
III. Institutions of Religious Life and Thought
A. The Monastery
Week 3: Session 1: The Rise of Monasticism
Readings: Joseph Lynch, The Medieval Church, Chapters 2, 3, 13; J. Theisen, The Benedictines: An Introduction, http://www.osb.org/gen/benedictines.html;
Field Study: San Anselmo
Session 2: The Rule of St. Benedict, Prologue and Chapters 1-7, 39-40, 48, 55-59, 70-73.
B. The Papacy
Week 4: Session 1: Historical Background
Readings: Lynch, The Medieval Church, Chapters 4, 5, 6.
Field Study: San Giovanni Laterano
Session 2: The Rise of the Papacy
Readings: Lynch, The Medieval Church, Chapters 10, 11, 13
Field study: Basilica San Pietro
C. The University
Week 6: Session 1: Aquinas and Scholasticism
Readings: Lynch, The Medieval Church, Chapter 16; St. Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Part I, Question 2 , “The Existence of God,” and Question 3, “The Simple Nature of God,” http://www.ccel.org/ccel/aquinas/nature_grace_txt
Session 2: Aquinas and Scholasticism, continued.
Readings: Lynch, Chapters 17 and 18. Summa Theologica Part I, Question 20, Treatise on grace.
Week 7: Session1: Aquinas and Scholasticism, continued
Session 2: Field study TBA
IV. Mysticism
Week 8: Session 1: The Soul’s Graced Intimacy with God
Readings: St. Bernard of Clairvaux, On Conversion. Library reserve shelf.
Session 2: Mystics and Ecclesial Reform
Catherine of Siena, A Treatise on Divine Providence
Week 9: Session 1: Mysticism and Ecclesial Reform
Readings: St. Teresa of Avila, The Life of St. Teresa of Jesus, Chapters 11 and 12; The Interior Castle or the Mansions, Chapters 1 and 2, http://www.ccel.org/ccel/teresa/castle2.pdf
Session 2: St. Teresa of Avila, continued. Group presentation
Week 10: Session 1: Field Study: Santa Maria della Vittoria.
Session 2: Group presentation
Week 11: Session 1: Group presentation
Session 2: Group presentation
Week 12: Review & Final Examination
Required readings:
Augustine, The Confessions, trans. M. Boulding, (Hyde Park: New City Press), 1997.
J. Lynch, The Medieval Church A brief history, (London: Longman, 1992).
Lori King obtained her Ph.D. Sacred Theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, specializing in Saint Augustine’s preaching on hope. She holds a MA in Theology from St. John’s School of Theology in Minnesota, a STB from the Pontifical St. Thomas Aquinas University and a STL from the Pontifical Gregorian University. Prior to her theological studies, she conducted workshops in spirituality and the discipline of yoga for fifteen years and brings a rich background to her teaching, including training in the theatrical arts, and foreign culture and language study. She also holds a BS in Business Administration from the University of Illinois, as well as language certificates in both French and Italian.
Through a close study of both primary and secondary materials in theology, spirituality, mysticism, and ecclesial history, this course will introduce students to the major forms and institutions of religious thought and practice in medieval Christian Europe.
The course will begin by studying the theological foundations of self and world in the work of Augustine before turning to an elucidation of central religious institutions such as the papacy (and its relationship to imperial Rome), the monastery (we will study the rule of Saint Benedict and will visit a Benedictine monastery), the cathedral (we will visit Saint John Lateran and Saint Peter’s), and the university (and the scholastic philosophy to which it gave rise). We will then turn to alternative expressions of medieval and early modern religious faith in the work of several mystics, notably Catherine of Siena, Teresa of Avila and John of the Cross.
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
- Define and delimit the medieval period from antiquity and modernity both historically and thematically.
- Understand the particular and independent ways in which the medieval period was shaped by the institutions of the Papacy, the monastery, the cathedral and the university.
- Recognize, compare and analyze the reflection of and contribution to the medieval worldview of such figures as Augustine, Thomas Aquinas, Francis of Assisi and Catherine of Sienna.
- Express the above understanding through active class participation, written examinations, and a group presentation, wherein students will focus their interest on a specific topic or personality within the medieval period, present their research to the class, and facilate group discussion.
Lecture, discussion, and field study.
LANGUAGE OF INSTRUCTION: English
Class participation (20%), Midterm (20%), Group presentation and paper (25%), Final examination (35%).
I. Introduction and Overview
Week 1: Session 1: Introduction and Historical Overview
Session 2: Readings: Lynch, The Medieval Church, Chapter 1.
On-site visit: The Pantheon
II. Theological Foundations of Medieval Christianity
Week 2: Session 1: Theological Anthropology: Augustine
Readings: St. Augustine, The Confessions, Books I (pp. 14-25) Books II (entire), Book III (pp. 43-50, 55-57).
Session 2: Augustine, continued.
Readings: The Confessions, Book IV (pp. 58-68); Book VI (entire); Book VII (125-136).
III. Institutions of Religious Life and Thought
A. The Monastery
Week 3: Session 1: The Rise of Monasticism
Readings: Joseph Lynch, The Medieval Church, Chapters 2, 3, 13; J. Theisen, The Benedictines: An Introduction, http://www.osb.org/gen/benedictines.html;
Field Study: San Anselmo
Session 2: The Rule of St. Benedict, Prologue and Chapters 1-7, 39-40, 48, 55-59, 70-73.
B. The Papacy
Week 4: Session 1: Historical Background
Readings: Lynch, The Medieval Church, Chapters 4, 5, 6.
Field Study: San Giovanni Laterano
Session 2: The Rise of the Papacy
Readings: Lynch, The Medieval Church, Chapters 10, 11, 13
Field study: Basilica San Pietro
Week 5: Session 1: The Avignon Papacy
Readings, Lynch, Chapter 20.
Session 2: Midterm
C. The University
Week 6: Session 1: Aquinas and Scholasticism
Readings: Lynch, The Medieval Church, Chapter 16; St. Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Part I, Question 2 , “The Existence of God,” and Question 3, “The Simple Nature of God,” http://www.ccel.org/ccel/aquinas/nature_grace_txt
Session 2: Aquinas and Scholasticism, continued.
Readings: Lynch, Chapters 17 and 18. Summa Theologica Part I, Question 20, Treatise on grace.
Week 7: Session1: Aquinas and Scholasticism, continued
Session 2: Field study TBA
IV. Mysticism
Week 8: Session 1: The Soul’s Graced Intimacy with God
Readings: St. Bernard of Clairvaux, On Conversion. Library reserve shelf.
Session 2: Mystics and Ecclesial Reform
Catherine of Siena, A Treatise on Divine Providence
Week 9: Session 1: Mysticism and Ecclesial Reform
Readings: St. Teresa of Avila, The Life of St. Teresa of Jesus, Chapters 11 and 12; The Interior Castle or the Mansions, Chapters 1 and 2, http://www.ccel.org/ccel/teresa/castle2.pdf
Session 2: St. Teresa of Avila, continued. Group presentation
Week 10: Session 1: Field Study: Santa Maria della Vittoria.
Session 2: Group presentation
Week 11: Session 1: Group presentation
Session 2: Group presentation
Week 12: Review & Final Examination
Augustine, The Confessions, trans. M. Boulding, (Hyde Park: New City Press), 1997.
J. Lynch, The Medieval Church A brief history, (London: Longman, 1992).
INTERNET RESOURCES:
www.newadvent.com (English translation of the Fathers)
www.ccel.org (Christian Classics Ethereal Library)
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/sbook.html (Internet Medieval Sourcebook)
Lori King obtained her Ph.D. Sacred Theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, specializing in Saint Augustine’s preaching on hope. She holds a MA in Theology from St. John’s School of Theology in Minnesota, a STB from the Pontifical St. Thomas Aquinas University and a STL from the Pontifical Gregorian University. Prior to her theological studies, she conducted workshops in spirituality and the discipline of yoga for fifteen years and brings a rich background to her teaching, including training in the theatrical arts, and foreign culture and language study. She also holds a BS in Business Administration from the University of Illinois, as well as language certificates in both French and Italian.