996017 The Christianisation of Europe (S) (SoSe 2018)

THE CHRISTIANISATION OF EUROPE

c.300-1300 AD

Six sessions of TWO HOURS each, but in practice each session will be 2 subsections of 55 minutes each with a 10 minute break in the middle.

SESSION 1: Introduction
a) What is conversion?
b) Christianity in the era of Constantine

Readings:
C. Stewart, From Creolization to Syncretism, in S. Vertovec (ed.) The Routledge International Handbook of Diversity Studies, London: Routledge (forthcoming)
E. Duffy, The Stripping of the Altars, introduction & c.4
St. Augustine Confessions book 8
Mark Edwards, ‘The Beginnings of Christianisation’, in N. Lenski (ed.), The Cambridge Companion to the Age of Constantine (2006).

SESSION 2: Christianity and the Roman World
a) The Dissolution of the Temples
b) The Romanisation of Christianity

Readings:
Julian: select letters (8 pages)
G. Fowden, ‘Bishops & Temples in the East Roman empire’.
Peter Brown 'Christianization and religious conflict' CAH 13 [AD 337-425]
Heather, ‘New Men for new Constantines’

SESSION 3: Christianity and the Fall of Rome
a) Christianity & Islam in the East
b) Christianity & the Early Medieval West

Readings
S. Griffiths, The Church in the Shadow of the Mosque cc. 1 & 8
P.M. Sijpesteijn, ‘New rule over old structures: Egypt after the Muslim conquest’ in H. Crawford (ed), Regime Change in the Ancient Near East and Egypt: From Sargon of Agade to Saddam Hussein (2007) is on the practicalities of Islamic rule in a single region.
The Martyrdom of Isaac Tabanos & Alvar’s introduction to the Martyrs of Cordoba
Yves Moderan, The Notitia Provinciarum
Peter Brown, The Rise of Western Christendom c. 6
Bede Gregory’s Letter to Mellitus; 7th c. Kentish Law Codes

SESSION 4: The Transformation of Christian Authority
a) Carolingian Correctio
b) Papal Monarchy?

Readings:
Braulio of Saragossa, Letter 21 to Pope Honorius
De Jong, Charlemagne’s Church
Lawrence, Medieval Monasticism, cc. 5-6
Heather, The Restoration of Rome chapter 8

SESSION 5: New Pieties
a) Christianity & Gender
b) Religious enthusiasms

Readings:
Gregory of Tours, Revolt at the Holy Cross Nunnery
Hunter, Sexuality, Marriage and the Family
McLaughlin, Men & Women
Peters, Heresy & Authority in Medieval Europe documents 11-12.
L. Little, Religious Poverty cc. 2-3
B. Mayne Kienzle, ‘Religious poverty and the search for perfection’, CHC 2

SESSION 6: The Making of Christendom
a) Papal Reform
b) Inquisitio

Readings
Worcester Diocesan Synod 1267
Canterbury Visitation Documents 1290-2
A. Bernstein, Heaven, Hell, and Purgatory
B. Hamilton, ‘Religion and the laity’, NCMH 4, part 1.
J.H. Arnold, ‘Repression and power’, in M. Rubin & W. Simons (eds.), Cambridge History of Christianity, vol. 4, Christianity in Western Europe, c.1100–c.1500 (2009)
M. Pegg, ‘On Cathars, Albigenses and Good Men of Languedoc’, Journal of Medieval History, 27 (2001)