Paul Halsall
Class 8: The Roman Church and Monasticism
Assigned Reading:
I. Introduction
A. The Formation of Latin Christendom
Collapse in the West - The Dark Ages?
B. The Roman Church carries classical/Christian synthesis
C. Germanic Contribution - ruling class across the West
II. Christianity in the West
A. oikumene - Spread and Conversion of the West
up to borders of Roman Empire
B. Germans
-Arian Goths
-Conversion of the Franks
-Conversion of Visigoths
C. New Expansion
-Ireland - Period of little expansion
-Conversion from Ireland of Nth Britain
-Conversion of Germans in North
-Input of papacy
III. The Papacy
A. The Roman Church
Rome and St. Peter
Cult of Relics
B. Leo the Great
C. Gelasius
Recognition of separate Church and State power
cf. Islam and Byzantium
D. Political Power and Infallibility
E. Rome and Constantinople
-Constantine
-Fourth Century
-Justinian
-Iconoclasm
F. Rome and the Barbarians
-Ostrogoths
-Visigoths
-Franks
IV. Latin Theology
Different emphasis from Greek theology
Less stress on nature of Trinity and Christology
A. St. Jerome - The Bible/Biblicism of Latin Theology
B. St. Ambrose - Church and State
Concern with political aspects of life in Latin heology
The state is not above moral judgment
C. St. Augustine - Salvation Theory
Stresses importance of the process of salvation
1. Life and Conversion
North Africa/Manicheanism
Conversion - Confessions
2. Influence of Neoplatonism
3. Against Pelagius
Free Will and Predestination
4. Original Sin - on Sex
Use of Adam and Eve story not to show free will
but bondage to sin. Sin passed in Semen
Sexualization of Original Sin
5. The City of God - Politics
People under original sin need government
-unlike early Christian resistance to Rome.
Idea of two cities.
V. Monasticism
A. Asceticism - Ascesis = exercise
related to martyrdom, Stylites
B. The Desert and St. Anthony
-Into desert c. 260 - i.e. before persecutions ended
-St. Pachomias and the First Rule
C. St. Basil
D. Types of Monks
-Hermits
-Cenobites
-vagrants wandering Holy Men
VI. St. Benedict and Western Monasticism
A. St. Benedict b. 480
Began in Subiaco, Went to Monte Cassino 525
B. The Rule -written c. 530 - after monastic experience
based on an earlier rule.
VII. Benedictine Monasticism
A. Monte Cassino 525
B. Other Houses
-Irish Monasticism - across Northern Europe
-Gradual adoption of the Rule.
-Not an Order
C. Life in a Monastery
1. The Buildings
-Distinct plan - around a cloister of a Benedictine
Monastery vis a vis an Irish monastery.
-Church/Refectory/Dormitory/Chapter House/
Cloister/Library
2. Monks
-Choir Monks
-Worker Monks
-Oblates
-Vows of Poverty, Chastity and Obedience
3. The Abbot - from `Abba' - Elected for life
4. The Office/Opus Dei
Matins/Prime/Lauds/MASS/Terce/Sext/Nones/
Vespers/Compline
5. The Work
The Library and Scriptorium
D. Contribution of Monasticism to Western Civilization
-Attraction of Monastic Life
Islands of Order in a rough World
-`Accidental' preservation of Culture
-Economic Effects
VIII. Discussion of Rule of St. Benedict
Prologue
use of scripture
cc. 1-3 Constitution
Goals? Salvation of souls - Need for a Rule
cc. 4-7 Spiritual Principles
Monastery is a workshop - Silence/humility
twelve steps - out of original sin?
cc. 8-20 Worship
Split sleep/Personal prayer/`needs of nature'
150 psalms per week - standing (misericordes?.
cc. 21-30 Discipline
sleep - separate beds in clothes
young not next to each other - fear of sex
26 - the Gestapo? Boys
cc. 31-37 Household
Division of labor into offices
No private property - Care of the sick - social security
cc. 38-47 Daily Observance
Reading - No meat - 12 pt of wine - Children to be beaten
cc. 48-57 Work and Outside Contacts
Manual work vs. idleness - Work at prayer
Going Outside a problem - Stability
Guests - Tunics/Cowls
cc. 58-66 Admission
Stability - Oblates - Priests and monks
Rule to be read often
cc. 67-72 Community Spirit
69 - fear of homosexuality/particular friendships
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© Paul Halsall, 1996.
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