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RN 307/607/STH TX 817Medieval Christian SpiritualityFall 2007M, W, F 12:00-1:00 P.M.Prof. Deeana Klepper |
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| Course Description |
| Course Requirements |
| Assignments |
| Schedule |
Office Hours etc.:
Wednesday 9:00-11:00
Thursday 10:00-12:00
or by appointment
147 Bay State Rd.
Room 408
358-0186
dklepper@bu.edu
Course Description: This course explores the variety and evolution of Christian beliefs and practices in medieval Europe from the fifth century CE (emergence of distinctive Latin and Greek Christianities) through the early sixteenth century (the Reformation) within and outside formal Church structures. We will read and analyze primary sources on diverse topics including the conversion of Europe and religious acculturation of pagan peoples, the power and appeal of Christian saints, Christian kingship and notions of appropriate Christian power, monastic, scholastic, and lay piety, pilgrimage and Crusade, dissent and institutional response, the relationship to those outside the faith, the religious crisis of the fifteenth century and the breakdown of Latin Christian unity.
Joseph H. Lynch, The Medieval Church: A Brief History ( Longman, 1992) ISBN 0582494672
Also: a set of readings available in pdf format on a courseinfo site and selected internet documents, linked to the syllabus
Suggested Texts for Background Reading: C. W. Hollister, Medieval Europe: A Short History; R. N. Swanson, Religion and Devotion in Europe, c. 1215-c.1515
Students are expected to bring reading materials to class on the day(s) they are assigned, including printouts of web documents.
Course Requirements for RN 307: Students are expected to attend and participate in every class. All reading is to be completed before the class for which it is assigned. Written work for the class will include three short analytical papers, a midterm exam, a ten page research paper on an approved topic within the field of medieval Christianity, and a final exam. The grading for the course will be as follows: 10% for class participation, 20% for the responses, 20% for the midterm, 20% for the research paper and 30% for the final exam. The class participation grade will be based on attendance, participation in discussion, and the level of preparedness and involvement in the course.
If you know that you will miss class because you are sick or are away from school for an emergency, please try to let me know ahead of time, if possible, via phone or e-mail. More than three unapproved absences during the semester may result in a lowered overall grade in addition to an unsatisfactory class participation grade.
Please note that students must complete all written work in order to receive a passing grade for the class.
Graduate Students (RN 607 and STH TX 817)
In addition to mastering the material required of undergraduates, graduate students are also expected to familiarize themselves with current scholarship in the field of medieval Christian spirituality and to develop a critical understanding of the relevant issues in scholarship. Additional reading for graduate students includes the following article and any three books off of the graduate reading list.
John Van Engen, "The Christian Middle Ages as an Historiographical Problem," American Historical Review 91 (1986), 519-52 (access on line via JSTOR)
Graduate students will write three- to four-page reviews of the three additional books to share with other members of the class (to be posted on the courseinfo site). In lieu of the undergraduate research paper, graduate students will write a ten-page bibliographic essay.
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All students should familiarize themselves with the College of Arts and Sciences Academic Conduct Code and adhere to it. Please see also my plagiarism policy
Helpful Web Links:
The Douay-Rheims translation
of the Latin Vulgate Bible is available here
Search multiple versions of the Christian Bible with ECanon:
Online Search Engine for Canonical Texts
Jim O'Donnell's Augustine
Page is a must-visit: valuable information and further reading for all
levels, and entertaining as well!
Jay Treat's
Internet Resources for the Study of Judaism and Christianity (U Penn)
Professor Felix Just, SJ has a very helpful glossary
for NT studies which is largely applicable to Bible studies in general
Catholic Encyclopedia
On Line for medieval Church and Christianity, though
be aware that this 1917 version of the encyclopedia is seriously outdated.
On-Line Reference Book for Medieval
Studies (ORB) not only has a host of information, essays, maps, and other
study materials, but also an extensive library of primary sources in English
translation. They also have an extensive Guide to Medieval
Terms
Labyrinth web guide to medieval studies
The Lollard Society
maintains a site with much information on Lollardy, English Bibles, and vernacular
Scripture
Week I Introduction: Reconstructing Medieval Christian Spirituality
Reading:
9/5 First class
9/7
J. Lynch, The Medieval Church, pp. 19-29; F. Van Liere, "Was the Medieval
Church Corrupt?"
Week II Monasticism
Reading:
9/10 Lynch, 29-34; 129-132
9/12 St. Benedict, Rule
for Monasteries
9/14 VIRTUAL CLASS: J. LeClercq, The Love of Learning and the Desire for
God,
11-24 [courseinfo site]; William
of St. Thierry on Lectio Divina
Week III The Conversion of Europe
Reading:
9/17 Lynch, 35-53
9/19The
Apostles' Creed; The
Nicene Creed; The
Conversion of Clovis
9/21 Bede, On
the Conversion of England; Life
of St. Columban ; St.
Columban's Boat Song
Week IV Sacraments of the Church
Reading:
9/24 Lynch, 273-302
9/26 The
Seven Sacraments
9/28 Sermon
stories on the Eucharist; Sermon
stories on Penance
Week V Saints, Relics and Pilgrimage
Readings:
10/1 Lynch, 268-272
10/3 Bernard of Angers, "The Miracles of St. Foy" [courseinfo
site]; Aquinas on
Veneration of Relics
10/5 A Pilgrim's Guide to Santiago de Compostela [courseinfo
site]
Week VI Medieval Church and State
Reading:
10/8 NO CLASS: Columbus Day
10/9 (Tuesday) Lynch, 59-72; 119-129; 136-145; Pope
Leo the Great: On the Petrine Doctrine
10/10 Einhard, The Life of Charlemagne
10/12
B. Tierney,
The Crisis of Church and State, excerpts
Week VII Violence: Christian and UnChristian
Reading:
10/15 MIDTERM EXAM
10/17 T. Head and R. Landes, eds., The Peace of God. Social Violence
and Religious Response in France around the Year 1000, 327-342 [courseinfo
site]
10/19 Excerpts from The
Song of Roland
Week VIII Violence: Christian and UnChristian II
Reading:
10/22 German
Pilgrimage; Pope
Urban II's speech at Claremont; The
Capture of Jerusalem; Map
of Europe at the time of the First Crusade; Map
of Crusader States ca. 1100
10/24 TBA. Guest lecturer, Reuven Firestone
10/26 Bernard
of Clairvaux, In
Praise of the New Knighthood;
Week IX Religious Revival
Reading:
10/29 Lynch, 183-215; 228-238; Images
of Chartres Cathedral
10/31"Our Lady's Tumbler" [courseinfo];
Thomas Celano, The Life of St. Francis; Giotto's
Images from the Upper Church at Assisi
11/2 Darleen Pryds, "Rose of Viterbo: A Thirteenth-Century Street Preacher"
[courseinfo]
Week X Dissent
Reading:
11/5 Lynch, 216-227; Glossary of dissenters
11/7 E. Peters, ed., Heresy and Authority in Medieval Europe, 139-163
[courseinfo]; The
Conversion of Waldo
11/9 Selections from the Fourth Lateran Council (1215): A-general; B-heresy; C-Jews; Innocent
III on the Jews; Las
Siete Partidas: Laws on Jews (1265)
Week XI Intellectual Culture (Theology)
Reading:
11/12 VETERANS' DAY OBSERVED: NO Class
11/14 Lynch, 239-255; Anselm's Proslogium;
Peter Abelard, Excerpt
from Sic et Non; The
Story of My Calamaties
11/16 Aquinas Reading [courseinfo site]:
Summa, Part I, Question 13
You may want to explore the fabulous Medieval Manuscript Manual put together by Central European University.
Week XII Courtly Culture (Romance)
Reading:
11/19 Quest for the Holy Grail, 31-66; 80-94; 269-284[courseinfo
site]
11/21 NO CLASS
11/23 NO CLASS
Week XIII Popular Culture (Drama)
11/26 R. Beadle, and P. King, eds., York Mystery Plays: a selection
in modern spelling, ix-xxx [courseinfo
site]
11/28 R. Beadle, and P. King, eds., York Mystery Plays: a selection in
modern spelling, 8-14; 48-58 [courseinfo
site]
11/30 R. Beadle, and P. King, eds., York Mystery Plays: a selection in modern
spelling, 223-250; 267-279 [courseinfo
site]; computor
simulation of the York production
READING GUIDE FOR
WEEK XIII
You can view fantastic images from a 14th-century manuscript of the
French mystery play, "The Day of Judgement" here
Week XIV From Reform to Reformation
Readings:
12/3 Lynch 315-345
12/5 Jean Gerson,
"Sermon at the Council of Constance" [courseinfo
site]; Condemnation
of John Wycliff and Wycliff's Response
12/7 Martin Luther, "Preface to the Epistle
of St. Paul to the Romans" [courseinfo
site]
Week XV
12/10 Student Presentations RESEARCH
PAPER DUE Monday, 12/10
12/12 Student Presentations
Final Exam: Wednesday, December 19, 3-5 PM