| Unit name | The Body and Theology: Asceticism in the Middle Ages |
|---|---|
| Unit code | THRS30066 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | H/6 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
| Unit director | Professor. Muessig |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Pre-requisites |
THRS11003 Introduction to Christian History and Theology I & THRS11010 Introduction to Christian History and Theology II or equivalent |
| Co-requisites |
None |
| School/department | Department of Religion and Theology |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
Covering the period from the early church to 1550, this unit will investigate various ascetic practices found in the medieval world. The unit will address the following questions: Why did many medieval individuals want to practice celibacy? What does this tell us about perceptions of holiness, sexuality, and the body? Why were holy women remembered for their fasting, vigils, and bodily mortifications more than their male counterparts? Emphasis will be placed on the study of particular monks (Bernard of Clairvaux), women religious (Catherine of Siena), and theologians (Ambrose, Augustine, Aquinas) who greatly influenced the theory and practice of bodily renunciation in the Middle Ages. Lives of holy people will be analysed in order to demonstrate the diversity of religious practice in the Middle Ages and the central role that bodily renunciation played in spiritual expression. Furthermore, the student will be introduced to leading scholars' views on these issues.
