Hi everyone!
Okay, here we go........our first online tutorial discussion!
Remember that the readings for this week can be found on pages 44-62 of the course reader. If you haven't yet been able to purchase a copy of the reader then do have a look at the unit guide on Blackboard and follow the links therein to an online copy of the Rule of St Benedict. Information on the book, Medieval Worlds: An Introduction to European History, 300-1492, from which another reading for this week is taken, and where to locate it in the library can be found by following the link to the right of this post under 'Weekly Readings'.
I encourage everyone to look over the tutorial discussion questions for this week (on page 43 of the reader) as they will help you reflect on the readings. You may also like to reflect on the information and questions I've included below. Remember though - your comment post does not need to specifically address either the tutorial discussion questions, or my reflections below. They are just here to help you get started.
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So the readings for this week seem to be all about the Church in the early Middle Ages! I thought that two major themes seem to be represented in the readings:
1) The first theme focuses on the structure, development and influence of the Church in the early Middle Ages.
2) The second theme focuses on the importance of the Rule of St Benedict in the development of monasticism.
A couple of questions that came to my mind when I was doing the readings were:
1) How did the organization of the Church, and the ideals of Christianity, influence early medieval society?
2) Why was the Rule of St Benedict so successful? How did it simultaneously allow a monk to live both 'alone in the wilderness' and in a community?
What did you find interesting (or not!) about the readings? Please post your comments, questions and thoughts!
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Just for fun!
Here are a few photos to help spark our imaginations!
The first is a photo of Monte Cassino (the monastery founded by St Benedict) as it appears today. It's amazing to think that this monastic house has been going since the the sixth century!
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| Monte Cassino |
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| Glastonbury Abbey, UK |
The two images below are shots of cloisters. Cloisters were (and are!) a very important part of monasteries. They were islands of calm and quiet right in the centre of the bustle and activity of a monastery. Their purpose was to provide a place for spiritual reflection and quiet study for the monks. It's interesting to reflect on how cloisters, as havens of calm amidst a busy place, also reflect the desire of every monk - to be alone with God and spiritually content in amongst a community of fellow brothers (or sisters!). Cloisters generally consist of a square covered walkway surrounding a garden or green space.
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| Cloisters attached to Salisbury Cathedral in the UK |
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| The cloisters at Monte Cassino |
Hey Everyone. Its Emily here. Took me a while to figure out how to use the blog and make a comment but i think i finally did it. I haven't read the readings yet but am looking forward to it. I am so interested in medieval Europe and am excited about this unit. Emily
ReplyDeleteHi everyone,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed the readings this week. I find it particularly fascinating how the church managed to gain control over every aspect of life in the early medieval period. Each important event was now governed by a specific ritual that was maintained to help save souls and deliver them to god after death.
At birth, in the form of Baptism, each Sunday at church, in Marriage as an everlasting union before God and in death during a funeral service. In the reading Cruz and Gerberding describe this as the 'church holding the keys to heaven', that by tempting people with this divine deliverance and fear of eternal damnation, priests and bishops became life the overseers of the living. In a positive way, this allowed for a greater sense of community and less disparity between rural and city dwellers.
I think it helps us to put these rituals into perspective. They were essentially just a fabrication of the church... marriage?? The Roman's had different ideas.
Hi!
ReplyDeleteI have just read the Rule of St Benedict and I find the 'humble' aspects that the monks had to uphold really interesting. I guess this comes from the sin of pride and that to be humble is to be without that particular sin - but how difficult would it be to not feel pride that you had succeeded in becoming humble? It seems like a really sort of hypocritical requirement to reach the 'levels of humility' required by monks.. By doing so and becoming closer to God would you not feel as though you had succeeded and be happy about it? Is that the same as being proud of your achievements? Hmmm...
Hi. I feel sorry for the monks who lived sheltered and structured lives. They seemingly did not enjoy some of the best aspects of live, instead devoting themself to pray and God. I personally would much rather be a king or powerful and wealthy individual during the early middle ages then a monk
ReplyDeleteHi. I don't think that being a monk would be quite as bad in the middle ages as it would being a peasant. You'd have all your food and clothing provided for you, and pretty much all your thinking. An opportunity for education, the ability to move up the hierarchy and become powerful and even influence people seriously high up in the social order. You'd even have immunity to attack because of the spiritual stigma attached to harming a holy man. It'd be a great life. Louise.
ReplyDeleteOops, thought I had already made comment here.
ReplyDeleteNo matter, I found the contrast in the rule of St Benedict and the sociological norm of Rome during its "golden age" to be most interesting. For a civilisation to spiral away from the confidence and appreciation of the human condition that can be witnessed and indeed understood from what was dubbed "the golden age" of Rome (indicative of Roman sentiment itself) to the readings from St Benedict which illude to a very prominent sense of suffering and damnation, seems staggering. How did this transpire so peversely and whether this dire tone is continued through out the entirety of the medievel period are indeed questions that I look forward to answering. Will.
ReplyDeleteAhoy. I find is strangely discomforting to imagine that such expansive numbers of people so readily accepted and converted to Christianity. Presumably, these people were abandoning their previous faiths and so easily accepting a new one (which makes me question the validity of this type of worship altogether, but that’s hardly relevant). Since people generally only practice one religion at a time, it surely couldn’t have been a gradual change over several generations. It would have to come down to specific individuals accepting what is being preached to them.
ReplyDeleteRegarding the monks, the regimented monastic way of life seems to contradict that of which Jesus had preached and demonstrated, since he supposedly led a fairly free and self-aware life, while the monks were restricted in almost every conceivable way. Where did they get the idea that they had to completely deny themselves of life in order to be saved in death? It also seems to be absurdly selfish and elitist, as monasteries contained only select individuals who dedicated their days to worship (to secure nothing but their own salvation). I’m probably a bit off for thinking this, but could it be somehow relating to the fact that the world didn’t end quite as abruptly as was expected subsequent to the departure of Jesus? Did this spark widespread fear that caused people to more closely evaluate and repent their sins in case the day of judging was to arrive tomorrow? Were monasteries born of nothing but fear? If that’s a stupid question, I apologize for being stupid. - (I apologise for the stupid name "Howl". It won't let me change it) - LARA M.
Hey Guys, The monks from these articles seem to have a very lowly view on themselves due to the way they are told to think through the monastery and the rules of St. Benedict. The lifestyle itself seems tough, challenging and requires a lot of mental toughness to do the same tasks each day but on the other hand they did know what they were in for before joining the monastery. I believe though they the Monks even though they have to confine to certain parameters such as not being able to posses any tangible items, are been blessed with food and shelter unlike the vast majority of the population who go without both. It's interesting that the "Rule" is so powerfully met and that once it has been accepted by the 'to be' Monks it can never from that point be denounced. We also see in the second article that the Church was rapidly becoming a very influential and powerful body which was epitomised in the amount of land they controlled. Finally I find it intriguing that the bishops especially, had so much power but also so much responsibility to the people and the running of their diocese. (Sorry about the aim name)
ReplyDeleteOliver S