Week 2: Late Antiquity and Christian Culture / Monks and Monarchs: Religious and Political Life in the Early Middle Ages - Tutorial Discussion Post
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.
........
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!
.......
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!
Not all monasteries of course continue to function to this day, however. Below is a photo of the remains of Glastonbury Abbey in the UK, once a very powerful monastery, but now only a quiet ruin.
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.
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.
........
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!
.......
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!
 |
| Monte Cassino |
 |
| 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.
 |
| Cloisters attached to Salisbury Cathedral in the UK |
 |
| The cloisters at Monte Cassino |
Hi everyone.
ReplyDeleteHaving very little knowledge about the clergy I found the Cruz and Gerberding reading quite interesting. It helped me to understand how the structure of the church works in relation to how it effects the people. Considering how much power the church had, it reminds me of how the government operates; the priest is like the local council minister, the archbishop is similiar to the state rep and the pope is the president. Maybe what I'm about to say is obvious (or way off track!), but its seems to me that the whole idea of 'Christianization' was a way for those in power to scare the population into following their rule. According to Dionysius the hierarchy of kings and bishops had to be adhered to or else you would be going against God. At this early stage of the course it appears to me that the church was used as a form of control to keep the little people in their place and follow instruction. In regards to how the church is spreading over Europe I'm finding that a bit hard to follow, maybe I need a lesson in geography!
Stella
Hey Guys,
ReplyDeleteI found the readings this week interesting. The development of the Episcopacy(structure of the church I am guessing) I found it useful that first the reading out lined this emerging structure and then defined each of the roles involved in more depth. The growth and expansion of the church was a little confusing. I understood the significance of Pope Gregory I and the outstanding influce he had on the development of christianity and its spread across Europe. However, not knowing many of the places (or at least their modern names) made it quite difficult to follow the actually expansion, a map would have been useful.
The Rule of St Benedict was quite interesting. He clearly outlined the roles of a monk which was important as it was not as clear before he did this. However, I found it a little confronting that the majority of the incentive of serving God was fear or the hope of making it to heaven. I felt like this was some sort of propaganda used by the church even though these people genuinely believed it.
So yeah, the readings were interesting and I learnt heaps but I was also quite confused by some of the finer points.
Hope this was useful :) Ambs
Hi guys,
ReplyDeletewhat interested me most about the readings was the Rule of St. Benedict and how extensive and strict the requirements of the monks were. Even more interesting was the rule concerning recieving brothers. Such an arduous process indicates that being a monk was quite popular in the time, despite the strict conditions. That being said, I agree with Ambs and Stella in suggesting that the church scared the public with the prospect of hell as a way of gaining followers.
Bede
Hey, it's Caitlin.
ReplyDeleteI was thinking the whole time I was reading these pieces that I can't imagine having such blind faith in something. You can understand how such faith led to the multitudes of conflict through Europe over the centuries though. The way the monks lived by the Rule of St Benedict - they must have simply lived and breathed the Christian faith. Anybody who dared challenge that faith wold have no hope. I agree with Ambs that a lot of it does sound like propaganda, although I don't think it was originally intended this way, even if that was how it may have been used in later centuries to burn heretics and the like.