Syllabus
Beginnings of the Medieval Church. The Conversion of the West (350-700).
The Papal-Frankish Aliance. Charlemagne.
The Carolingian Renaissance. Cluny. 10th-11th century.
Gregory VII. Investiture contraversy.
Papal Power. Crusades.
Monastic Life - 12th century. Medieval Heresy and the Inquisition.
The Friars. Church in Crisis.
Late Medieval Church.
Annotation
This course is designed to provide a historical overview of the Church and society in western Europe from the fifth through the fifteenth century. This course will investigate medieval Christianity in its social and its cultural context.
Narrative and theological story lines to be pursued will include the varieties of medieval Christianity; early medieval monasticism; medieval Christian architecture, piety and worship; Christianity and other world religions
(especially Judaism and Islam); western and eastern Christianity; the Christianization of “latin” Europe; the crusades; heresy and its repression; scholasticism, the university and Gothic architecture; Christianization; saints, relics, pilgrimage, and other forms of popular devotion; the decline of the late medieval papacy and conciliarism; late medieval heresy; Christianity and other world religions (especially Judaism and Islam); and late medieval attempts at reform.