Love in Christendom

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Love in Christendom

• Jeffrey L. Richey, Ph.D.
• GSTR 220-BWestern Traditions I
• Berea College
• Fall 2003

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THE POST-ROMAN WEST (750-1000 CE)

• Collapse of Western Roman Empire in 476 leaves
  Western Europe sparsely populated, poor, and
  vulnerable to invasions
• Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire, ruled from
  Constantinople (modern Istanbul), endures in
  spite of territorial losses to Islamic forces
• Christendom (Christian West) loosely unified by
  rule of Germanic kings and increasingly powerful
  Pope (Bishop of Rome)
• Charlemagne (742-814) crowned Holy Roman
  Emperor by Pope Leo III on Christmas Day, 800
• By 1054, Roman Catholic West and Greek Orthodox
  East divided

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LIFE IN EARLY MEDIEVAL EUROPE

• Property-owning aristocrats (lords) contract with
  lesser warriors (vassals) to exchange land
  (fiefs) for military protection
• Property-less peasants (serfs) contract with
  vassals to exchange freedom and agricultural
  labor for military protection and use of land
  (manor)
• Church, led by Pope, competes with kings for
  local control
• Approximately 90 of early medieval Europeans
  are agricultural laborers
• Lords, vassals, and the clergy constitute
  approximately 10 of the population

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THE AGE OF CRUSADES (1095-1291)

• By 11th century, Byzantine Empire faces
  increasing challenges from Seljuk (Muslim)
  Empire, and requests help from West
• 1095 Pope Urban II urges Western Christians to
  attack and invade Muslim-held territories in
  Middle East in order to recapture them for
  Christendom, offering immediate remission of
  sins to those who die in battle
• 1099 An army of mostly Frankish (French)
  Christians massacres the population of Jerusalem
  and establishes independent Crusader states in
  Middle East, undermining Byzantine and Muslim
  power in the region

• 1144 Edessa (in modern Turkey) overthrows
  Crusader rule and returns to Muslim control,
  prompting second Crusade
• 1187 Jerusalem recaptured by Muslim forces,
  triggering third Crusade led by kings of England,
  France, and Germany
• 1204 Western Christian forces capture
  Constantinople and establish short-lived Latin
  Empire in East (1204-1261)
• 1291 Acre, last stronghold of Crusaders in
  Middle East, recaptured by Muslim forces
• Christian persecution of Jews, heretics, and
  homosexuals increases during Crusades

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Crusader Routes to Middle East
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LOVE IN CHRISTENDOM

• Marriage
• Arranged by families
• Sanctified by Church
• Divorce prohibited by Church after 840, but (like
  abortion and contraception) widely practiced
  until 1200s
• Sexuality
• Church tolerates only heterosexual intercourse
  for procreation within marriage
• Church disapproves of homosexuality, but punishes
  those who practice contraception more severely
• In spite of Church teachings, extramarital and
  premarital sex (homosexual and heterosexual)
  remain popular, especially among aristocrats

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ABELARD (1079-1142) HELOISE (1098-1164)

• Pierre Abelard greatest Western philosopher of
  12th century, professor at University of Paris,
  and Catholic priest
• Famous for his intentionalist theory of moral
  value, according to which actions should be
  judged by the motivation of their agents
• His student, Heloise, becomes his lover, mother
  of his child, and secret wife
• Heloises relatives avenge Heloise by castrating
  Abelard
• Abelard enters monastery, while Heloise becomes
  famous abbess
• Abelard and Heloise maintain correspondence for
  rest of lives

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BERNARD OF CLAIRVAUX (1090-1152)

• Born in France to aristocrats
• Becomes a monk at age of 23 and establishes
  monastery at Clairvaux, where he lives until his
  death at 62
• Said to have compiled the Rule (code of
  discipline) for the Order of Knights Templar,
  military religious community dedicated to
  protection of Christian pilgrims in Palestine
• Encourages participation in Crusades and opposes
  Abelard
• Canonized (declared a saint) by Pope Alexander
  III in 1175
• Famous for mystical theology, in which love
  relationship is model for Gods relationship with
  Church

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AELRED OF RIEVAULX (1110-1167)

• Born in England to aristocrats
• Becomes monk at age 24 and eventually presides as
  abbot over several monasteries in England
• Political advisor to English and Scottish kings
• Missionary to Scotland
• Historian and homilist
• Heavily influenced by Roman Stoicism
• Sees friendship (especially Jesus close
  friendships as described in New Testament) as
  model for the souls progress toward union with
  God

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