RLMgB547 Monasticism beyond the monastery: religious life and society in the medieval West

Faculty of Arts
Autumn 2022
Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 5 credit(s). Type of Completion: k (colloquium).
Teacher(s)
Robert Laurence John Shaw, Doctor of Philosophy (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
Mgr. Jana Valtrová, Ph.D.
Department for the Study of Religions – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Mgr. Matouš Vencálek
Supplier department: Department for the Study of Religions – Faculty of Arts
Timetable
each odd Thursday 10:00–11:40 L21
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
The capacity limit for the course is 80 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 3/80, only registered: 0/80, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 0/80
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
Medieval monasticism in the Latin West encompassed a wide variety of forms of life which called on men and women to renounce their worldly lives in favour of spiritual ones. For example, there were hermits living in apparent isolation, communities dwelling in enclosed religious houses, and friars who belonged to a community but roamed more freely.

Across all these forms, however, the monastic retreat from the life of the world rarely appears complete. Monks and nuns could hardly survive without outside help: they required tolerance, interest and promotion from a wide variety of outsiders in order to survive.

In turn, monasticism had an enormous influence on surrounding society. Monks and nuns provided prayers, charitable services, and religious example and instruction for outsiders. They also helped to shape the society, the economy, and the political and intellectual culture of the medieval West. On the other hand, the charge of monastic ‘hypocrisy’ - a failure to live up to their otherworldly image - played its part in the story of the Reformation.

Objectives:
This course will explore the development of Christian monasticism within the context of the evolving society of the Latin West. The objective will be to gain an understanding of monks and nuns themselves, but also of the world around them, how it shaped them, and how it was shaped by them across the Middle Ages.

This course will also allow students to read and discuss selected original sources in depth. Through this, they will develop their own interpretations of medieval monastic life and what it meant to wider society. Through group reading and discussion within the classes, students will also gain confidence in presenting their views.
Learning outcomes
After completing the course, the student will be able to:
1. identify and accurately describe the major forms of monastic life that emerged in the medieval West, showing a knowledge of the most important religious trends and institutional practices, as well as the terminology used to describe them
2. display a broad understanding and cite relevant examples of the ways in which medieval monasticism interacted with social, cultural, economic, and political contexts
3. analyse and interpret original sources connected to the history of Western medieval monasticism and wider society
Syllabus
  • Unit 1: Hermits, the First Monasteries and Late Antique Society (c.300-500 AD)
  • Unit 2: From Missionaries to Powerholders: spreading the faith and envisioning the perfect Christian community (c. 500-900 AD)
  • Unit 3: High Medieval Monastic Reform and Society: powerhouses of prayer and living examples (c. 900-1050 AD)
  • Unit 4: High Medieval Monastic Reform and Society II: Church reform and crusades, monastic economies, and twelfth century spirituality (c. 1050-1200 AD)
  • Unit 5: Female Monasticism in the Early and High Middle Ages: nuns and society (up to c. 1200)
  • Unit 6: Poverty and Mobility: new religious movements, urban society, and new forms of learning (c. 1200-1400 AD)
  • Unit 7: The End of Medieval Monasticism?: Observant reform, the challenge of Martin Luther, and monks in the New World (1400-1600)
Literature
    recommended literature
  • Medieval monasticism, forms of religious life Western Europe in the middle ages (Orig.) : Dějiny středověkého mnišství. info
Teaching methods
Lectures/seminars; group reading; discussions.

Attendance of classes is very important since they are participatory and provide essential preparation for the students' final presentations - a maximum of 2 unexcused absences is permissible.
Assessment methods
In the exam period, students will be required to give a short oral/visual presentation in English (c. 10-15 mins) on two historical sources that tell us something about the relationship between monasticism and medieval society.
Students will pick these sources from a selection provided in English translation by the lecturer - these sources will all be very closely connected to the topics studied in class.

Marks will be awarded for:
1) showing a good understanding of the context of the sources (for instance: who were the authors, when and where did they live, which monastic groups they were affiliated with, what was the broader historical context in which they lived)
2) accurately explaining the content of the sources, showing good understanding of medieval concepts and terminology
3) analysing what these sources tell us about the interactions between monasticism and medieval society
4) comparing and contrasting the sources and what they tell us about the relationship between monasticism and medieval society
Language of instruction
English
Further Comments
Study Materials
The course is taught once in two years.
  • Enrolment Statistics (recent)
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