INTELLECTUAL AND ARTISTIC WORLD OF THE HIGH MIDDLE AGES
Lecture Outline # 27
I ART & MONUMENTAL ARCHITECTURE (CHURCHES)
1 1st Christian Buildings = Basilicas (Late Roman); Cruciform (cross-shaped) Buildings = relatively late (7th & 8th Cs)
2 2 Architectural Styles Dominate High Middle Ages: Romanesque & Gothic
a Romanesque: dark, heavy, rounded arches, small windows; ARevival@ of Old Roman Style B> AWhite Mantle of
Churches@
b Gothic: light, many windows, pointed arches; Critics thought Abarbaric@, hence AGothic@
1) 1st Such Church = Abbey Church St. Denis, north of Paris built by Abbe` Suger
2) Actually represents Urban efforts to Areach up to God@
3 Both forms of Churches Testify to devotion of Towns and their financial resources!
II BACKGROUND TO REINTRODUCTION OF REASON
A BACKGROUND TO EMERGENCE OF SCHOLASTICISM Associated with Rise of Universities
1 Higher Education less dominated by Clergy: Towns, States Need Administrators
2 STUDENTS in University: lower strata of freemen; becoming teachers, administrators, lawyers, doctors
3 University Teaching and Learning:
a CURRICULUM = 7 Liberal ARTS: Not new knowledge; AGolden past@ of Auctoritas / Authorities
b Goals of Learning: Understand Past Knowledge & Manipulate it for Contemporary Uses
c Hence, Method of University Teachers: Lectio = AReading@ of Authorities --> Lecture; students make notes
4 BUT . . . EUROPE CHANGING
a CITIES
b MIDDLE CLASS Bourgeoisie & TRADE
c STATE: Kings in Need to ACivil Servants@
d Growth of UNIVERSITY Connected to ALL These Trends
B SCHOLASTICISM: HERMENEUTIC OF HIGH MIDDLE AGES
1 HERMENEUTIC Method by Which any text is Interpreted, it is basis (?set of principles?) which to understand a
text
a Examples: Paul in Galatians employs Allegory (Sarah & Isaac stand for New Covenant)
b 12 tribes B> 12 apostles; Jonah 3 days in fish B> Jesus 3 Days in Tomb
2 EARLY MEDIEVAL HERMENEUTICS Based Primarily Upon ST. AUGUSTINE
a Hermeneutic of Early Middle Ages: EMA method of Interpreting / Understanding
Bible = ALLEGORY
b Assumptions of this Hermeneutic
1) Historical / factual is truth, but material & physical is of less importance than Spiritual
2) Highest Truth / Meaning Level is Spiritual Level = Allegorical Level (facts point to this)
3) HMC Interprets Scripture: human reason is fallen, not trustworthy; so HMC Interprets
3 Conclusions of CHURCHMEN-THINKERS EMA:
a Employ Allegory to Interpret Bible: This is like that
b Do not trust reason B According to St. Augustine, Man, Body-Soul-MIND is AFallen@ & Unable to Areason@
c SO, RELY on HMC: She interprets Scripture, issues doctrines, papal statements, etc.
C CLOSELY RELATED ISSUE: 2 Kinds of Knowledge at this Point & they are INCOMPATIBLE
a Theology / Theologia = Scripture + Teachings of Church = SPIRITUAL knowledge = AFAITH@
b Philosophy / Philosophia = ALL other knowledge
a Includes Logic / Reason = Philosophy, Reason, Knowledge (gathered thru human senses) = AARISTOTLE@
bPhilosophia is Inferior because it is Human, material, Adown here@
III. INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENTS LAY FOUNDATION OF FUTURE: ABAPTISM OF ARISTOTELIAN REASON@
A SCHOLASTIC METHOD
1 ROOTS of Scholasticism lie precisely in Using REASON (Logic) to solve Theological Questions
a Monk, Anselm of Canterbury (1033-1109): used reason / logic to prove Existence of God rationally
1) AGod@ is defined as the greatest conceivable Being
2) To exist in Reality is greater than to exist in the Understanding only (as a conception)
3) If AGod@ existed only in the Understanding, but not in reality then He would not be the Greatest
Conceivable being because we can conceive of a such a Being existing actually in Reality
4) Hence, it follows that AGod@ must exist in Reality as well as in the Understanding
b Peter Abelard (1079-1142) Source of NEW Method & New HERMENEUTIC
1) Origin of Scholastic Method of Interpreting Scripture (Scholasticism) tho he didn=t realize it
2) PA=s Problem = Inconsistency of Bible, Fathers, Teachings of HMC
3) PA=s ANSWER: USE Human Reason to solve B> Published Sic et Non (Yes & No) B demonstrated
method, but did not actually apply method to solve the problems
4) Abelard & Method Popular B> Many Teachers followed
Method
5) In time, Scholasticism is hallmark of University Teacher (a Scholasticus)
c By ca. 1160, Translations of ALL Aristotle=s Works into Latin B from Arabic, then from
Greek
1) Aristotle's works on LOGIC Arediscovered@ by West (from Arabs & Byzantines)
2) SO much (pagan) knowledge! CAN it be used by Christian West??
B SCHOLASTICS
1 Peter Lombard, d. 1160: trained in law & theology; taught at Paris; Bishop of Paris
aLiber Sententiarum: Four Books of Sentences, ca 1150
1) APPLIED Abelard=s Method to Inconsistencies B> Liber = Synthesis of Conflicting Arguents
2) Classic Textbook of Theology for CENTURIES
b Lombard=s Sententiarum is to Theology what Gratian is to Roman Law
2 Scholasticism@ B Scholasticus = teacher in Cathedral School (schola) --> Scholasticism
a Method of HMA: Use of HUMAN Reason to understand Scripture & Church Fathers
b Shared Beliefs
Janet M. Fortner, Fall 2007
Use by express permission only
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