Middle Ages and the Renaissance (c.700-c.1500)

Middle Ages and the Renaissance (c.700-c.1500)

1. Tensions between the East (Constantinople/Orthodox) and the West (Rome/Catholic)

   • Nicene Creed 'filioque (and from the Son) controversy'
     • East: Believe the Holy Spirit only proceeds from the Father, not the Son
   • Greek speaking vs. Latin speaking
   • Claims of authority by the Roman Pope
   • Split around 1054

2. Constantinople fell to the muslims in 1453, ending the Byzantine period

3. Started during the reign of Charlemagne

   • Renewing of the life of the mind within the church
   • Alcuin (735-804), Abbot of St.Martin of Tours established monastic schools and cathedral schools
     • The Great monastery of Fulda (744)
     • Critical role in bring about the theological renaissance of the 12th century

4. Monastic movement

   • Originated in Egypt and eastern Syria during the patristic period
     • Withdrawal from the sinful world
     • Significant growth during the 6th century
   • Benedict of Nursia (c.480-c.550)
     • The 'Rule of Benedict'
       • Unconditional following of Christ
       • Regular corporate and private prayer
       • Reading Scripture
     • Established Monte Cassino (529)

5. Religious Orders

   • Cistercian
     • Founded 1097 at Citeaux, France
     • Noted leader: Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153)
     • Beginning of 14th century: approx. 600 monasteries
     • Emphasized Spirituality over academia
   • Franciscans
     • Founded by Francis of Assisi (c.1181-1226)
       • Renouced a life of wealth to live in prayer and poverty
       • Joined by Clare of Assisi, a former noblewoman
         • Founded 'Poor Clare's'
     • Referred to as the 'Gray Friars'
     • Emphasis on individual and corporate prayer
     • Theologians
       • Bonaventure (1221-1274)
       • Duns Scotus (1266-1308)
       • William Ockham (c.1285-1347)
   • Domincians
     • Founded by Spainard Dominic de Guzman (1170-1221)
     • Referred to as the 'Black Friars'
     • Focus on education
     • Theologians
       • Albert the Great (c.1200-1280)
       • Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274)
       • Peter of Tarantaise (1102-1074)
   • Augustinians
     • Theologians
       • Giles of Rome (c.1244-1316)
       • Thomas of Strasbourg (c.1275-1357)

6. Scholasticism

   • Developed between 1200-1500
   • Emphasis of rational jusitification and the systematic presentation of those beliefs
   • Influenced by the early church fathers, Augustine and Aristotle
   • Influential writers
     • Thomas Aquinas
     • Duns Scotus
     • William of Ockham

7. Italian Renaissance (14th & 15th centuries)

   • A return to the glories of antiquity
   • Byzantium/Constantinople fell and 1453
     • An exodus of Greek speakers settled in Italy
       • Led to an interest in Greek and Greek classics
   • They marginalised the interlectual achievements of the Middle Ages
     • Considered too technical
     • Lay the groundwork to bypass the middle ages writers and focus on Scripture and the patristic period
       • 'ad fontes' - back to the sources

8. Byzantine Theology

   • Rejected Catholic (western) views on the Holy Spirit & purgatory
   • Orientated towards the tradition of the Greek fathers
     • Gregory of Nyssa
     • Maximum the Confessor (c.580-662)
     • Dionysius the Areopagite
   • Theology as an expositor of faith, rather than speculative thought.
   • Controversies
     • Iconoclastic (725-842)
       • Emperor Leo III (717-742) gave orders to destroy images to open up the conversion of Jews and Muslims
       • John of Damacus defended the use of icons based on the incarnation (Christ become body and blood)
     • Hesychastic (14th century)
       • Inner quietness (silence) to see the 'divine light'
         • Opponents disturbed that God could be 'seen'
       • Adherents
         • Simeon the New Theologian (949-1022)
         • Gregory Palamas (Archbishop of Thessalonika 1347)
           • Palamism - developed distinction between 'divine energy' and 'divine essence'
             • Believers were only experiencing the 'divine energy'