Search

The article reports on the reports on the 2022 Conference on Medieval and Renaissance Studies held virtually from May 9-14, 2022, via Zoom due to the pandemic. The conference featured several sessions with various topics such as the gardening practices of medieval monasticism and the manuscripts of Richard of St. Victor, among others. It mentions that the remote format allowed participants from around the world to join, but the lack of in-person interaction was also noted.

The author discusses translations of the Latin treatise "De corpore et sanguine domini" by the medieval monk Ratramnus of Corbie. He mentions Ratramnus' comments on the presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist, Puritan translations of the work which alter a passage regarding the presence, and comparisons among translations.

Compiled by Eusebius of Caesaria in the fourth century, and thereafter a standard apparatus of medieval gospel books, canon tables index the concordances between the four books of the Christian gospels. Because they are functional and often sparsely decorated, these tables are easily overlooked as a practical device, and have long been assumed to carry little if any iconographical significance. In fact, however, they navigate a fundamental paradox of Christianity, for they reveal the tension between the multiple accounts of Christ as told by the gospels and the belief in a single truth told by scripture. A twelfth-century manuscript from the abbey of Helmarshausen in northern Germany, and now in the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles (MS Ludwig II 3), contains canon tables whose decoration evokes precisely this issue. This article examines these tables within the visual program of the entire manuscript and in the context of twelfth-century thought. Rather than presenting gospel unity, these tables make visible the differences across the four accounts. Thus, they betray a concern for the limitations of imagery and its inability to express the profound gap between written word and sacred truth and between embodied man and infinite God. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A literary criticism of the Latin work "Enchiridion" by the Anglo-Saxon monk Byrhtferth is presented. The author discusses the allusion to the Roman philosopher Boethius and his treatise "De Consolatione Philosophiae," particularly the appearance of the Greek Muses in both works, as well as the general appearance of classical allusions in Christian literature.

El autor ofrece una crítica a la narrativa del rey Arturo, un destacado personaje de la literatura europea. El artículo describe la vida del monarca, su corte, sus quehaceres, una visión mágica y la aventura con otros los personajes de la época parte de las narrativas. El autor cita obras y explica el simbolismo del peligro, los valores, la aventura y la filosofía social medieval.

The article examines a copy of the book "Epistolæ catholicæ et sanctæ eruditionis plenissime" which contains 173 letters by 5th century Pope Léon Ier concerning Oriental churches and heresy. The book was edited by Jacques Lefèvre d'Etaples, was published by Josse Bade in Paris, France, in 1511, and is conserved at the Cultura Fonds library in Dilbeek, Belgium, under CS253. The author notes that this is book number 34 from the collection of books belonging to Dutch Renaissance humanist, Catholic priest, and theologian Desiderius Érasme. Also discussed are several annotations by Beat Arnold, a secretary to emperors of Germany Maximilien I and Charles Quint, who met with Érasme between 1524 and 1525.

The article examines the Latin book "De imitando Christo, contemnendisque mundi vanitatibus libellus authore Thoma Kempisio, interprete Sebastiano Castellione," published by French humanist and theologian Sébastien Castellion in 1563 in Basel, Switzerland. It is noted that the work is a reproduction of the 14th century Latin Christian devotional book "Imitatio Christi," or "Imitation de Jésus Christ", which includes four volumes attributed to Thomas a Kempis and issued from the Devotio moderna medieval movement initiated by Dutch preacher Geert Groote. Castellion's preface and his use of German versions of the "Imitatio" which he then translated into Latin are discussed. The author compares the book with an edition of the "Imitatio" printed on July 21, 1507 in Paris, France.

The article presents a discussion on the interpretation of two Roman Catholic lead bulls released by 11th-century Pilgrim, archbishop of Cologne, which is now part of Germany. The author positions his study in relation to similar research by historian Gustav Schnürer. Descriptions are given of Pilgrim's ascent as an archbishop, as well as of his relations with other archbishops such as Hartwig, archbishop of Salzburg, which is now in Austria, and Aribo, archbishop of Mainz, now part of Germany. Further discussion focuses on the types of bull seals used by Pilgrim's predecessors, including Wichfried, archbishop of Cologne, Heinrich I, archbishop of Trier, Germany, and Bruno, archbishop of Cologne.

A literary criticism of the Medieval text "Historia ecclesiastica" by Bede is presented. It provides a tropological analysis of the text, exploring Bede's use of allegory to understand God's providential guiding of history. Subjects under discussion include the historiography of tropes according to historian Hayden White, the nature of Medieval Christian symbology and use of metaphor, and the book "Tropics of Discourse," by White.

The article studies the commentary of Saint Thomas Aquinas on Psalm 8, with special focus on the relation between God and men. To better place Aquinas's thinking earlier interpretations of the patristic and medieval epochs are reviewed. After considering Thomas's analysis of the psalm title and noting the originality of his exegesis, the article studies the elements of Thomasian anthropology in two facets: in relation with God and in relation with the created world. The Christocentric approach that so interests Saint Thomas as magister in Sacra Pagina cannot be ignored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 12th and 13th centuries are considered a flourishing period in the West in regard to theological studies and biblical exegesis. Nevertheless, a major part of this exegetical work still remains unpublished. For this reason its characteristics have become difficult to appreciate. Thus, we would like to answer these two key questions concerning medieval commentaries and glosses: a) What have they taken from the patristic exegesis?, i.e., Do they really offer a certain novelty?; b) What is their contribution and heritage to the later generations? We intend to contribute to this effort through the study of the exegesis on Col 3:18-4:1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article the author offers a new perspective on the theory of First Crusade leader Bohemond as a propagandist. He demonstrates the influence of late-nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century assumptions about literacy and the utility of written texts on the idea that Bohemond made widespread use of written propaganda. He also investigates the role of institutions and individuals in the enhancement of Bohemond's reputation in the collective memory of Latin Christians.

The article focuses on the manuscript "The Manere of Good Lyvyng," which is a translation of "Liber de modo bene vivendi ad sororem." The article examines the techniques of translating from Latin into Middle English during the Middle Ages as demonstrated by the manuscript. The author concludes that the translator used translating practices common to the age.

The article discusses the format, layout, and structure of Medieval hagiographical writings in the Southern Low Countries of Europe. It provides a textual analysis of the A and B versions of the manuscript Vita Secunda Gisleni, the use of manuscript A in liturgical services of the Catholic church, and the use of manuscript B in monastic communities. The Medieval process of rewriting ancient manuscripts is discussed, along with the transcribing methodologies of scribes. Other subjects under discussion include the reasons for textual redactions, the foundation of the Saint Ghislain monastery in Lotharingia, and the monk and scribe Rainerus.