DI4525 Medieval Monastic Spirituality
Academic year
2024 to 2025 Semester 1
Curricular information may be subject to change
Further information on which modules are specific to your programme.
Key module information
SCOTCAT credits
30
SCQF level
SCQF level 10
Availability restrictions
Not automatically available to General Degree students
Planned timetable
10-11 Monday (lecture) and 2-4 Thursday (seminar)
Module coordinator
Dr W P Hyland
Module Staff
Dr W Hyland
Module description
This module focuses on the major forms of monastic spirituality in Latin Christianity from the sixth through the fifteenth century. We will consider the teachings of the major monastic Rules (Benedictine, Augustinian, Celtic), and how they shaped early medieval religious life. Important expressions of monastic spirituality in the high middle ages, including monks, canons regular, hermits, and the mendicant movements will then be addressed, as well as the devotio moderna of the later middle ages. Ongoing themes will include the relationship between action and contemplation, and the place of Scripture in monastic forms of prayer. Readings will include, among others, texts by Bede, Bernard of Clairvaux, Aelred of Rievaulx, Hildegard of Bingen, Guigo II the Carthusian and Thomas a Kempis.
Assessment pattern
3-hour Written Examination = 50%, Coursework = 50%
Re-assessment
3-hour Written Examination = 100%
Learning and teaching methods and delivery
Weekly contact
1 lecture and 1 x 2-hour seminar.
Intended learning outcomes
- a sound grasp of the essential terminology and conceptual categories classically used to describe forms of medieval monastic spirituality
- a firm idea of the development of forms of religious life in the Latin Church in the medieval period.
- the critical ability to assess key aspects of medieval spirituality and their potential application to life in the church and world today.
- an appreciation of the varieties of genre used to express monastic spirituality, and the ability to understand and engage with the various types of texts.
- Transferable skills include: ability to engage in a careful, open and critical fashion with challenging texts, ideas and concepts; a capacity to frame independent perspectives on complex questions, and to consider respectfully possible objections to those positions; ability to develop and sustain arguments clearly and cogently, in oral presentations, group discussion, and written work.