REL 621 Historical Theology: the Medieval Period

Spring Semester, 2016

A student contemplating taking this course asked me: are you going to do any mysticism
in this course? It looks more like a survey of medieval theology? To which the quick answers
are: yes I will. And yes it is. The long answer will take the whole course to tell, but in brief it is
this: medieval theologians have plenty of use for the adjectival form mystical, above all as
denoting a sense of scriptural texts distinct from their literal sense. But secondarily, though
importantly, the term served as a pleonastic way of describing theology itself: that is to say, most
medieval theologians would have been puzzled, and perhaps even disturbed, at the notion of
theology which was not mystical or of a mysticism which was not theological. So the nounform mysticism used to denote some kind of activity, or experience, distinct from or worse,
opposed to the theological would have made little sense to the majority of medieval
theologians. And if in our contemporary conceptions of these things, the expression mystical
theology sounds nearer to being an oxymoron than a pleonasm (if mystical then not
theological and vice-versa), this is more to do with relatively recent intellectual developments
which took place within western theories of religion than with any conceptions recognizably
coherent to a medieval theological mind. What is important here is to try to approach the texts in
this course without such theoretical preconceptions as one might carry over from, e.g., the
writings of William James. It is, to be sure, better to dislike these theologians (if you must) for
what they are than to like them for what they are not. They are not mystics: but they are
mystical theologians.
So, this course is indeed a survey of some themes central to theologies in the medieval
period from Augustine to the end of the Middle Ages, in particular covering issues of theological
method, genre, and linguistic medium; doctrines of God, the Trinity and Incarnation and grace;
the place of the Bible and its interpretation in medieval theology. But throughout all of these, it
will be necessary to bear in mind in general terms, and explore in each of these texts in some
detail, a series of overarching, and governing, connections: between the theological and the
mystical, between contemplation and action, between intellectual enquiry and holiness, between
knowledge and love.
On the other hand, though surveys, outlining general themes through the overviews found
in secondary sources, have their uses, there is no substitute for the excitement of exposure to
primary sources, and the emphasis of this course will be on the latter. The compromise that I
make with the survey method is to identify broadly three general styles of theology in the
medieval period which I call the monastic, the academic (university based) and the
vernacular and then work through the developments in theology from the late patristic period (in
practice from Augustine) which contribute to the formation of those theological styles up to the
end of the middle ages. This might give misleading impressions: (a) that these three styles are
neatly packaged and that medieval theologians all fall unambiguously into one or other of them,
and (b) that in each case there is some linear, progressive or degenerative, development from
early to late medieval theology. Neither is wholly true, but there is some value in these broad
categorizations, at least as a point of departure for reflection. That concession to the idea of
survey having been made, however, I repeat that the emphasis is on the reading of some sample
texts of medieval theology. Being puzzled, excited, inspired, disconcerted, even dismayed, at
those texts is the principal aim of this course.

Conduct of the course

The course will be taught by way of (a) two lectures at a single continuous session on
Wednesdays, 1.30 to 3.20, with a break between them of 10 minutes; and (b) a weekly small
group discussion session conducted by a Teaching Fellow.
General background sources and particular studies
Indispensable for the study of many of the texts in this course are the four volumes so far
published of Bernard McGinns magisterial The Presence of God, A History of Western Christian
Mysticism,vol 1: The Foundations of Mysticism; vol 2: The Growth of Mysticism; vol 3: The
Flowering of Mysticism, and vol 4, The Harvest of Mysticism in Medieval Germany,New York:
Crossroad, 1991, 1994, 1998 and 2005.
A brilliant short study of some of the chief early (platonic and patristic) sources of mystical
theology in the medieval west is Andrew Louths The Origins of the Christian Mystical Tradition,
Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1993, as also his little book on Denys the Areopagite, London:
Geoffrey Chapman, 1983. On the bible in medieval theology, the classic is still Beryl Smalleys
The Study of the Bible in the Middle Ages, Blackwell: Oxford, 1984. Some texts in translation of
monastic biblical commentary may be found in my Eros and Allegory, Kalamazoo: Cistercian
Publications, 1995, Part II.
On monastic theology, especially in the twelfth century, Jean Leclercqs The Love of Learning
and the Desire for God, London: SPCK, 1988 is too beautiful to be ignored, especially on
Bernard of Clairvaux. Though I think less well of it than some others do, you might like to
consult my own The Darkness of God, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1995 on some of
the authors and texts.
On Thomas Aquinas, perhaps the best short work on his theology is Josef Piepers Guide to
Thomas Aquinas, San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 1991 though Pieper says in this work that the
best short introduction to Thomas Aquinas is that of GK Chesterton. More recently published are
two short surveys of Thomas thought, emphasizing its theological character: Thomas Aquinas
Theologian, by Thomas OMeara, Notre Dame: University of Notre Dame Press, 1997;
andThomas Aquinas: Theologian of the Christian Life, by Nicholas Healy, Burlington: Ashgate,
2007. Both are reliably informative, but lack sparkle. I have made an attempt of my own to do
better (doubtless vain). It is available to those with more enthusiasm than sense as Thomas
Aquinas, A Portrait, Yale University Press, 2013.
For Dante, the best short introductions to the Comedy that are theologically literate are (a) the
introductions to Robin Kirkpatricks translations of Inferno, Purgatorio and Paradiso, published
with parallel Italian text in Dante: The Divine Comedy I, Inferno, London: Penguin Classics,
2006, Purgatorio, 2007 and Paradiso, 2009. His are also my favorite translations of all three
cantiche. And (b) the delightful work of Peter Hawkins, Dante: a Brief History, Oxford:
Blackwell, 2006.
On Meister Eckhart, Marguerite Porete, and the Beguine movement, see Meister Eckhart and
the Beguine Movement, ed. Bernard McGinn, New York: Continuum, 1994, especially part II.
McGinnsThe Mystical Thought of Meister Eckhart: The man from whom God hid nothing,
Herder and Herder, 2003, is the best monograph study of Eckharts theology.
Though there is much good secondary material from scholars of Middle English literature
(including our own Alasdair Minnis) there are few good scholarly sources on Julian's theology,
but excellent is Grace Jantzens Julian of Norwich: Mystic and Theologian, Paulist Press, 2004,
and there is some valuable material in ed. Marion Glasscoe, Julian of Norwichs a Revelation of
Love, Exeter Medieval Texts and Studies, Exeter, 1993. I have written one of my own, Julian of

Norwich, Theologian, Yale University Press, 2011, but whether it is worth reading or not is hardly
for me to say (is it).
Basis for Evaluation
A single end-of-semester paper of between 15 and 20 pages. At the mid-point of the semester I
will arrange to meet each student to discuss their brief proposals for that final paper, which
should indicate topic, structure and bibliography. This proposal will not form any part of the
evaluation. Students should note that I take a strict view of page limits. There is a discipline in
writing to a particular length, and the ability to match topic and scope to page limits is one of the
skills being evaluated, just as is my ability to match topic and scope to time in lectures.

Outline
Please note that the reading indications assigned to each week of the syllabus below contain
references to primary texts only. I will give indications of useful secondary material from time to
time in class, and otherwise will place further, often unpublished, material on the Classes V2
website.
Week 1 Three styles of medieval theology
The monastic style: Denys the Carthusian (texts relevant will be posted on the Classes v2
website). The academic style: Thomas Aquinas, see vol 1 of the 61 volume edition of the Summa
Theologiae, the so-called Blackfriars edition, originally published in hardback by Eyre and
Spottiswoode (though this edition is now republished in paperback format by Cambridge
University Press, 2007). The vernacular style: Julian of Norwich, Revelations of Divine Love,
(Long Text only) trans. AC Spearing, London: Penguin Classics, 1999 (or: Julian of Norwich:
Showings, Edmund Colledge, James Walsh and Jean Leclerq, New Jersey: Classics of Western
Spirituality, 1977, which includes both the Short and Long texts) chapters 1-9.
Week 2 Common Sources
Augustine: Confessions, especially books 1, 7, 9 and 10. The best edition, containing Latin text
and English translation, is in Augustine, Confessions: Introduction and Text, with Introduction
and Commentary by James J ODonnell, Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1994. More practical,
however, is the translation of Maria Boulding, New City Press, 2002; The Trinity, especially
books 8-10, and 15, trans., introd. and commentary, Edmund Hill OP, New York: New City Press,
1994. The Pseudo-Denys: The Divine Names, especially chapters 1, 4 and 8, in The PseudoDionysius: the Complete Works, trans. Colm Luibheid, New Jersey: Paulist Press, 1987; The
Mystical Theology, in Luibheid, as above.
Monastic styles
Week 3 Monks and the Bible
Gregory the Great: see Eros and Allegory, pp. 215-255; Bernard of Clairvaux : Sermons on the
Song of Songs, trans. Killian Walsh and Irene Edmonds, Kalamazoo: Cistercian Fathers Series,
vol. I, 1977, sermons 1-9; Thomas Gallus (Vercellensis): see Eros and Allegory, pp. 317-339.
Week 4 The Ladder of Monks: Prayer and Contemplation in the Monastic Traditions
William of St Thierry: The Golden Epistle, trans. T. Berkeley OCSO, Cistercian Publications:
Kalamazoo, 1980; Guigo II: The Ladder of Monks, A letter on the Contemplative Life and Twelve

Meditations, trans. and introd. Edmund Colledge and James Walsh, Kalamazoo: Cistercian
Publications, 1981; Anselm: Monologion and Proslogion, in Anselm of Conterbury, The Major
Works, ed. and introd. Brian Davies and GR Evans, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1998.
Academic styles
Week 5 The Bible in the University
Hugh of St Victor: see Eros and Allegory, pp. 265-274; Thomas Aquinas: Eros and Allegory,pp.
341-355, and Summa Theologiae 1a q1 aa 9-10; Nicholas of Lyra: Eros and Allegory, pp. 381397.
Week 6 Thomas Aquinas on God
Summa Theologiae, 1a, qq 2, 3, qq44-45, in vols 2 and 8 of the Blackfriars edition.
Week 7 Thomas Aquinas on Prayer, Contemplation and the Active Life
See Texts on the Contemplative Life in Albert and Thomas, Selected Writings, trans., ed. and
introd. Simon Tugwell OP, New Jersey: Paulist Press, 1988, pp. 527-585.
Week 8 Bonaventure and Franciscan Theology
The Journey of the Soul into God, ed. and trans., Philotheus Boehner OFM and Sr M. Frances
Laughlin SMIC, New York: The Franciscan Institute, 1990.
Vernacular styles
Week 9 Dante on poetry and theology
Inferno, cantos 26 end; Paradiso, cantos 32-33; de Vulgari Eloquentia, I, 1-8 in Dante: De
Vulgari Eloquentia, ed. Steven Botterill, Cambridge Medieval Classics, Cambridge, 2004.
Week 10 Marguerite Porete and Meister Eckhart: Negative Theology and Negative
Anthropology
Marguerite Porete: Mirror of Simple Souls, ed and trans., Amy Hollywood, New Jersey: Paulist
Press, 1993; Meister Eckhart: Sermons 5b, 48, 52 and 83; On Detachment, in Meister Eckhart,
The Essential Sermons, Commentaries, Treatises and Defense, trans. and ed. Edmund Colledge
and Bernard McGinn, New Jersey: Paulist Press, 1981.
Week 11 Julian of Norwich and the Cloud of Unknowing
Julian of Norwich, Revelations of Divine Love; Cloud of Unknowing: trans. AC Spearing,
London: Penguin Classics, 2002.
Week 12 The end of the middle ages: dead-end or unfinished business?
Denys Turner
January, 2016