Fall Quest Course October 2017 Dr. John A. Maxfield Associate Professor of Religious Studies Concordia University of Edmonton

Fall Quest Course October 2017 Dr. John A. Maxfield Associate Professor of Religious Studies Concordia University of Edmonton

Dr. John Maxfield

Summary Outline 1. The Late Middle Ages and the Renaissance 2. Humanism and the Reformation 3. Popular Piety in the Late Middle Ages 4. Printing and the Reformation

Late Middle Ages as a Time of Waning or Decline Dutch historian Jan Huizinga s The Waning of the Middle Ages (1920s) critical of piety in this era as perfunctory, habitual, empty A better translation of his title: The Autumn of the Middle Ages Autumn as a time of harvest as well as falling leaves and withering vines The Italian Renaissance Term invented by another Dutch historian, Jacob Burckhardt, in the 19 th century. The Civilization of the Renaissance in Italy (1860) Self-perception of Italian humanists in the 15 th century (and later in the north) that their own age was following a period of terrible darkness and decay: The Black Death (1347-50, and sporadically through the 16 th century) Very high infant mortality and short life-expectancy contributed to preoccupation with and fear of death Moral and political corruption in the church (Great Schism, etc) Threat from and Expansion of the Ottoman Empire into Europe

Spread of the Black Death 1347-1351 Loss of between 30% and 60% of the European population by 1400 Sporadic outbreaks into the nineteenth century

The Papal Schism (1378-1417) Crisis and Recovery Rise of Conciliarism in the 15 th century as a movement for Church reform in head and members Resurgence of papal authority by the 16 th century

The Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation

Constantinople falls in 1453 (now called Istanbul, on the Bosphorus Strait) Belgrade falls, 1521 Defeat of the Kingdom of Hungary at the Battle of Mohacs, 1526 Ottoman Empire existed reached its greatest extent in the 17 th century, and existed until 1922 Suleiman I ( the Magnificent ) Ottoman Emperor, 1520-1566

Revival of Classical Styles of Architecture

Ognissanti Madonna by Giotto, c. 1310

The term humanist originally meant a teacher of Latin grammar and literature Humanists and movements of educational reform Studia humanitatis: Expanding beyond the seven liberal arts of the Middle Ages Grammar, rhetoric, moral philosophy, poetry, and history as studied via Latin and Greek literary authors The humanists slogan: Ad fontes to the sources

Both were movements of reform Humanism reflects a commitment to scholarship and even a broad circle of scholars but it does NOT denote a particular party or ideology Civic humanists, Christian humanists Platonists, but also Aristotelians Humanism vs. Scholasticism? Christian humanists and the Reformation: A true generation gap

Erasmus of Rotterdam (c.1466/69-1536) Novum Instrumentum omne, 1516, the first published New Testament in Greek; 2 nd edition entitled Novum Testamentum omne, 1519

Brethren of the Common Life and the Devotio Moderna A spiritual revival within the Church, emphasizing lay devotion and education Thomas A Kempis (1380-1471) and the Imitation of Christ Devotion to the Saints Pilgrimages, Relics, and Indulgences The Isenheim Altarpiece by Northern Renaissance painter Matthias Grünewald

HE WHO follows Me, walks not in darkness," says the Lord. By these words of Christ we are advised to imitate His life and habits, if we wish to be truly enlightened and free from all blindness of heart. Let our chief effort, therefore, be to study the life of Jesus Christ. The teaching of Christ is more excellent than all the advice of the saints, and he who has His spirit will find in it a hidden manna. Now, there are many who hear the Gospel often but care little for it because they have not the spirit of Christ. Yet whoever wishes to understand fully the words of Christ must try to pattern his whole life on that of Christ.

Corruption and immorality among the clergy not necessarily widespread, but perceived as such Simony and multiple benefices Illegitimate births and concubinage among celibate priesthood Resistance in the papal curia to widespread calls for reform Popular anticlericalism

Gutenberg s Invention: the first European to use movable type printing, c. 1450

Johannes Gutenberg (1394-1468) Books Gutenberg Bible, c. 1455 Books and Pamphlets Indulgences

The Gutenberg Bible c. 1455

Dedication page of Erasmus s Text of the New Testament (1516) Last Page of Erasmus s New Testament (1516)

Two of Luther s Reform Pamphlets from 1520

Luther s German Bible An Early Lutheran Hymnbook

Luther portrayed as the Reformer with the open Bible