Chapter 2 The Middle Ages and the Renaissance, c.500-1500 Alister E. McGrath Historical Theology: An Introduction to the History of Christian Thought

On defining the “Middle Ages” Specific to western Europe Earlier renewals Expansion of Islam By the 11th century, three centers: Byzantium (Constantinople) Western Europe (Rome, Paris) The Caliphate (eastern and southern Mediterranean) Split between the eastern and western church (1054) Medieval theology Byzantine theology

Medieval theological landmarks in western Europe The Carolingian renaissance Charlemagne, Holy Roman Emperor (742-814) Alcuin (735-804) The rise of monastic and cathedral schools of theology The “Rule of Benedict” The cathedral of Chartres Women writers Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179) Catherine of Siena (1347-80) Julian of Norwich (c.1342-c.1415) Mechthild of Magdeburg (c.1210?-c.1282)

The religious orders and their “schools of theology” The Cistercians (founded 1097) The Franciscans (Francis of Assisi, c.1181-1226) The Dominicans (Dominic de Guzman, 1170- 1221) The Augustinians The founding of the universities Collège de la Sorbonne, University of Paris Peter Lombard’s Four Books of the Sentences Quotations from Augustine

The rise of scholasticism “cathedral of the mind” (Etienne Gilson) rational justification and systematic presentation of Christian beliefs The Italian Renaissance (14th and 15th century) Intellectual vacuum Visible reminders of antiquity Fall of Constantinople The rise of humanism Ad fontes (back to the sources)

Medieval theological landmarks in Eastern Europe The emergence of Byzantine theology Theology as the mind of the saints (Athanasius) The iconoclastic controversy (752-842) Emperor Leo III (717-42) John of Damascus The hesychastic controversy Hesychasm Gregory Palamas (c.1296-1359) The fall of Constantinople (1453)

Key theologians John of Damascus (c.675-c.749) The Fountain of Wisdom Simeon the New Theologian (949-1022) Abbot of St. Mamas in Constantinople Anselm of Canterbury (c.1033-1109) Proslogion Cur Deus homo (“Why God became man”) Thomas Aquinas (c.1225-74) Summa contra Gentiles Summa Theologiae Duns Scotus (c.1265-1308) Voluntarism Immaculate conception of Mary William of Ockham (c.1285-1347) Ockham’s razor Erasmus of Rotterdam (c.1469-1536) Enchiridion

Key theological developments The consolidation of the patristic heritage The exploration of the role of reason in theology Anselm of Canterbury: faith seeking understanding Rediscovery of Aristotle The development of theological systems The development of sacramental theology The development of the theology of grace The role of Mary in the scheme of salvation

Returning directly to the sources of Christian theology The critique of the Vulgate translation of Scripture First printed Greek New Testament – Erasmus, 1516 Translation errors in the Latin Vulgate Marriage: a sacrament or a mystery Matthew 4:17: do penance or repent Mary: “full of grace” or “favored one”

Case study 2.1 Arguments for the existence of God Anselm of Canterbury’s “ontological argument” God as “that than which no greater thing can be thought” If the idea of God exists in the human mind, the reality must also exist Gaunilo, “A Reply on Behalf of the Fool” The “Five Ways” of Thomas Aquinas God as the first cause of all change/motion God as the original cause of all effects God as the cause of contingent beings God as the cause of human values and ideas about truth and goodness The teleological argument: God as the cause of natural ordering and design

Case study 2.2 Understandings of the atonement Christus Victor (“Christ the victor”) Christ’s death as a random paid to the devil Gregory the Great: the baited hook The “harrowing of hell” Anselm of Canterbury The righteousness of God The “God-man” (Jesus Christ) Thomas Aquinas Christ’s satisfaction on the cross > the offense committed by humanity Peter Abelard Christ’s incarnation and death as demonstrations of the love of God

Case study 2.3 The theology of the sacraments Augustine A sacrament is a sign which bears relation to the thing signified Hugh of St. Victor (d.1142) Physical or material element A “kind of likeness” Institution/authorization Efficacy Peter Lombard A “sign of the grace of God and a form of invisible grace” Baptism, confirmation, the eucharist, penance, extreme unction, ordination, marriage

Case study 2.4 The interpretation of the Bible Philo of Alexandria (c.30 bc-c.ad 45) Origen the allegorical method Antiochene school historical context Quadriga (fourfold sense of Scripture) Literal Allegorical Tropological (moral) Anagogical

Case study 2.5 Renaissance humanism and the Bible The Latin Vulgate Humanist contribution to the study of Scripture The priority of Scripture over its commentators The original languages (Hebrew and Greek) & tools for study Establishing the best text of Scripture Experience mediated by the text A biblically literate laity Translation errors in the Vulgate: Matthew 4:17 “do penance” or “repent” Luke 1:28 “full of grace” or “one who has found favor”

Case study 2.6 Augustinianism and Pelagianism in late medieval theology Nominalism  via moderna Covenant between God and humanity Justification and “doing your best” Pelagianism? The king and the small lead coin Schola Augustiniana moderna (modern Augustinian school) Gregory of Rimini Salvation initiated and completed by God John Calvin (1509-64) and voluntarism “apart from God’s good pleasure, Christ could not merit anything”