Content

Immense creativity, great energy and remarkable displays of faith marked the church of the Middle Ages, from the revival of the western ‘Roman Empire’ in 800 to the Empire’s demise in the East in 1453. This era saw matters of religion and faith touch all aspects of life and so this unit looks at the interplay between religion and the rest of medieval society. Topics to be considered include relations with Islam & Judaism, heresy, superstition & magic, doctrinal reform, women, schools, crusades and popular religion. A better understanding of the deep roots of modern religion in the Middle Ages enriches our understanding of the contemporary church.

Unit code: CH3015Y

Unit status: Archived (New unit)

Points: 18.0

Unit level: Undergraduate Level 3

Unit discipline: Church History

Delivery Mode: Face to Face

Proposing College: Yarra Theological Union

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Learning outcomes

1.

Identify the pertinent elements of the historical context of the mediaeval church

2.

Analyse critically primary and secondary sources for mediaeval church history

3.

Engage in historical analysis of the practices of both official and popular religion

4.

Present a sustained argument in mediaeval church history about a nominated issue

5.

Demonstrate awareness of historiographical issues in mediaeval studies

6.

Articulate the contemporary significance of church history of the Middle Ages

Unit sequence

CH1001Y

Pedagogy

Lecture, seminars, tutorials

Indicative Bibliography

  • Cook, William and Ronald Herzman. * The Medieval World View: An Introduction*. New York: OUP, 2004.
  • Le Goff, Jacques. Medieval Civilization. London: Blackwell, 1991.
  • Linehan, Peter. The Medieval World. London: Routledge, 2001.
  • Lynch, Joseph H. and Phillip C. Adamo. The Medieval Church: A Brief History. London: Longman. 2014
  • Pelikan, Jaroslav. The Spirit of Eastern Christianity 600-1700. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 1989.
  • Riley-Smith, Jonathan. The Crusades: A Short History. New Haven, CT: Yale UP, 1987.
  • Rubin, Miri, ed. Medieval Christianity in Practice. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2009.
  • Shinner, John, ed. Medieval Popular Religion. Orchard Park, NY: Broadview Press, 2009.
  • Vauchez, André. The Laity in the Middle Ages: Religious Belief and Devotional Practices. Trans. Margery J Schmeider. Notre Dame,IN: UND Press, 1993.

Assessment

Type Description Word count Weight (%)
Document Study

Document Study (2000 words)

0 35.0
Essay

Research Essay (3000 words)

0 65.0
Approvals

Unit approved for the University of Divinity by John Capper on 19 Oct, 2017

Unit record last updated: 2021-10-04 11:36:31 +1100