A BRIEF HISTORY OF SPIRITUALITY

Spirituality in the City 1150-1450

Possible death by power point

Warning !!!

Gregorian Reform

Purification of the church Secular/political Clergy/laity by celibacy Supernatural power of

clergy during Eucharist Increased evangelical

fervour Failed to satisfy lay

people and religious spirituality

Led to dissident movements and apocalyptic groups

The Vita Evangelica

Not organised movement Expressed evangelical fervour Gospel preached Jesus imitated in mendicancy and

wandering Active role for men and women(later

curtailed)

The Vita Evangelica Groups

Accepted groups of women

The Poor Clares/The Beguines

Franciscans' The Tertiaries (Third

Orders): men and women/ married/ worked/prayer life/ charitable work/pastoral

Canon/Canonesses Wandering Preachers

Vita Evangelica led to (guess who)

Revival of Rule of St Augustine Clerical reform Evangelicalism Spirituality of service Ministry to poor Nursing of sick Care for pilgrims Canons influenced

12c Renaissance

Growth of the intellectual, spiritual and aesthetic

Rebirth of Cities

11-12c urban revival since Roman Empire Created growing Literate Merchant class and

the developing of new Christian life and diverse practices

new spirituality in evangelical life Imitating Jesus and his disciples Increase in the Franciscan, Dominican and

lay groups as the Beguines Led to the idea “the city” itself was a holy

place

Cathedrals and Urban Vision New urbanisation Gothic Cathedrals Rural(Eden)-City(Revelation) More Impressive Light, space, colour, elaborate Evoke the Splendour of Heaven: human

transformation Priest in silks, Virgin in Ivory, Art, Aspirations of a community

Notre Dame

space

Abbey of St Denis

Light and space

Rose Window

The splendour of Heaven?

Abbey of St Denis

Notre Dame

Tympanum of the Last Judgment

The clergy in Hell

The Sacred City:“The big community”

A heavenly Jerusalem Ideal form of social life A place of peace A place of hard work A city of God Processions Blessings Plaques/Statues/Shrines

University Now Open!

Rural to urban Separations of Disciplines of Mind/Order

of life and Spirituality Dominican moved to teaching own to all New modules available! Greek

philosophy Aristotle anyone 16c onward saw decline in spirituality in

Theology due to protestant movement

Vita Evangelica and Urban Sensibilites

Communities of friars/canons preaching led to building in city

Popularity of preacher Bigger audiences Concept of public space Monastic cloister to colonnade piazza

Preaching Open air!

Santa Maria Novella Florence

San Marco Venice

Women Many Countries Girls schools Stayed with family Lived in groups Built

Tenements/Walled Trade/Ministered

to sick and poor

Began as group of Lay people

Begging alms Preached, taught Offered spiritual

guidance Free to move around

streets Franciscans/

Caramelites ,Dominicans-Poor Clares

The Beguines The Mendicants

Personalities of the Day

Dominic 1170-1221

On mission gathered dedicated preachers

Life of Gospel poverty Combined liturgy,

contemplation and pastoral ministry

1216 order of preachers

Evangelical and missionary

Study/labour

Vertis - Truth

What is contemplated leads to everything else

Francis 1182-1227

Child of urban renaissance and spiritual fervour

Renew church in simplicity and evangelical piety

Begging for alms Order 1223 Gospel existence Service of poor Stigmata “Control of creation”

Imitation of Jesus and Brother to all

Francis of Assisi (original tunic)

Clare 1194-1253

Significant in the origins of FO

Dedicated to Gospel living Visionary in contemplative

life and poverty Freedom of possessions,

estates and finances Rule of Poor Sisters 1253(on death bed)

Christ the mirror into which contemplatives gaze

Bonaventure 1217-1274

Theologian, mystic, superior in FO

Hermetic life Contemplation Intense love of Christ

crucified

Christ the ladder of ascent in spiritual journey

14c Mysticism

Period of flourishing Word- France 17c preoccupation with experience 19c psychology to separate from beliefs

and practice Increased due to 2 factorsIndividual journeys with intellectual

approach to theologyIncreased interest in Pseudo-Dionysious

Mystic writers

Eckhart 1260-1328 Henry Suso 1295-1366 John Ruusbroec 1293-1381 St Catherine of Siena 1374-1380 Julian of Norwich 1342-1417/20

Devotional Spirituality in the Humanity of Christ

Feelings rather than ideas 1150-1450 increase in Devotions and

devotional mentality and religious fervour Religious Dramas Devotional Manuals Prayer books, Spiritual guidance Art, icons on the streets Eucharist Procession, Rosary, Christmas

crib, Stations of the cross

Spirituality & Eastern Christianity

Icons-direct communion with God “way of images” music and liturgy “Hesychia” stillness in a way of prayer to

inner calm St Catherine- Breath prayer Math 9:27 Gregory Palamas defence of prayer Debate-was it possible to experience the

imminent presence of God Growing division East/West

The Renaissance 1350-1450

Reintroduction to classical ancient roman

Art/science Humanism

The Grand Finale

“It was the inability of the church institution to respond speedily or adequately enough on either a spiritual or a structural level to both the criticisms and fervour that made the final break-down of medieval Christianity irreversible”

Conclusion