HISTORY 5341

HISTORY 5341: STUDIES IN MEDIEVAL HISTORY
Fall 2006: HAGIOGRAPHY

Meets Tu 7-9:30, MOVED from Holden Hall 005 to HH151

TEACHER

John Howe
Office: Holden Hall 143 Hours: MTu 9:30-10:00 pm ,

Telephone: 742-1004 ext 233 Tu 9:00-11:00 am;

FAX: 806 742-1060 and by appointment
E-Mail: john.howe@ttu.edu

Web: http://www2.tltc.ttu.edu/howe (the best way to access this syllabus)

PURPOSES OF THE COURSE

To introduce “hagiography,” the most common literary-historical genre of the Middle Ages. To trace its chronological and thematic developments. To learn how to use hagiographic material to study medieval social, cultural, intellectual, and religious changes. To gain insight into the development of critical historiography.

To become acquainted with major research tools used by medieval historians.

Expected Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this class students will be able to:

1. Discuss hagiography as a cross-cultural phenomenon in world religions.

2. Discuss the development of hagiography as a literary-historical genre in the Latin West.

3. Discuss major scholarly attempts to analyze this literature critically (and the resulting debates).

4. Appreciate hagiographical texts as works of literature.

5. Use hagiographical literature as a source for evidence concerning problems of gender, class, historical geography, medical pathology, political and ecclesiastical ideology, and other issues.

Methods for Assessing the Expected Learning Outcomes

The expected learning outcomes of the course will be assessed through: class discussions, book reviews, a research proposal, essays, and miscellaneous classroom assessment activities that may include non-graded quizzes, reaction papers, polling the class, and other techniques.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

Required Texts

Brown, Peter. The Cult of the Saints: Its Rise and Function in Late Antiquity. Chicago:

University of Chicago Press, 1980.

Gregory, Brad. Salvation at Stake: Christian Martyrdom in Early Modern Europe.

Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1999.

Kieckhefer, Richard, and George D. Bond, eds. Sainthood: Its Manifestations in World

Religion. Berkeley / Los Angeles: University of California Press, 1988.

Schulenburg, Jane Tibbetts. Forgetful of Their Sex: Female Sanctity and Society ca. 500

– 1100. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1999.

Weinstein, Donald, and Rudolph M. Bell. Saints and Society: The Two Worlds of

Western Christendom, 1000-1700. London / Chicago: University of Chicago

Press, 1982.

The Internet Medieval Sourcebook is available online.

Thomas Head’s hagiography guide for ORB is available online.

Required Reading

Reading--a great deal of reading--is central to this graduate topics course. There will be specific texts to be read for each class, taken from the required reading, from lists that will be provided, and from the web. The “Reading and Class Schedule” indicates how the course will proceed. Student reports and discussion will play a major role, so it is important to have all assignments completed as scheduled.

Book Reviews

Over the course of the semester, each student will write nine reviews of books, primary sources, and articles (no more than four may be on articles; at least three must be on primary sources). Each review should not be much longer than two double-spaced typed pages. Students should be prepared to report orally in class on works they have reviewed. Copies of reviews should be emailed to all students in the seminar.

Research Proposal

Each student will, over the course of the semester, prepare a two page summary description (500-600 words) of a historical research project based upon hagiographical materials. A short, non-comprehensive bibliography may be appended. This description should indicate a problem that deserves investigation, a thesis relating to it which requires testing, and a procedure for testing it (noting the type of sources to be used and where they would be found). The aim of this assignment is to encourage thought about how to conduct historical research using hagiographical materials. This proposal is due on Tuesday Dec 12 at the latest, but earlier submission is strongly encouraged, since rewriting and resubmission (w/o penalty) will be allowed up until that date.

Examination Essays

There will be no regularly scheduled examinations. However, on the basis of the required readings for the course, students will write two essays (about 1000 words each), due on the final exam day (Tuesday, Dec 12), answering any two of the following questions:

1. Did hagiography have any substantial influence on Western medieval society? That is, did it lead to any modifications in worship, in ecclesiastical architecture, in conduct, in the social order, etc.?

2. For what audience(s) was medieval hagiography composed?

3. Can “popular culture” be studied through hagiographical documents?

4. In the High Middle Ages was women’s spirituality different from men’s?

5. In what ways can _____ [any primary hagiographical source approved by the instructor] be used as a historical source?

6. The process of canonization gradually evolved from relatively spontaneous community acclamation into the world’s longest judicial process. How did this affect the cult of the saints?

These essays will be easier to answer if students, when doing the assigned readings, enter relevant points into note files devoted to each question. Then the “examination” becomes largely a matter of reading data collected about your favorite questions, and organizing it to support the theses suggested.

Class Attendance

Successful completion of the course requires regular attendance. Students who will need to miss more than three classes should not be enrolled because they will not be able either to do their best or to demonstrate their knowledge fully.

NOTIFICATIONS

Necessary Accommodations
Any student who, because of a disabling condition, may require some special arrangements in order to meet course requirements should contact the instructor as soon as possible so that the necessary accommodations can be made.

Observance of a Religious Holy Day
Texas House Bill 256 requires institutions of higher education to excuse a student from attending classes or other required activities, including examinations, for the observance of a religious holy day. The student shall also be excused for time necessary to travel. An institution may not penalize the student for the absence and allows for the student to take an exam or complete an assignment from which the student is excused. No prior notification of the instructor is required.

GRADING

The course grade will be computed as follows: 45% from the nine book or article reports (i.e., 5% from each); 15% from the research proposal; 30% from the two comprehensive essays (15% from each); and 10% from class participation.

The class participation grade is computed on the basis of attendance, class preparation, and class contributions by dividing students up at the end of the semester into three groups: 1) outstanding; 2) generally average; and 3) signifi-

cantly below acceptable standards. In computing the course grade, the first group gets the class participation component credited as an ‘A’; the second group has the points removed from the averaging process (so they neither help nor hurt); and the third group has them credited as an ‘F’.

READING AND LECTURE SCHEDULE

M Aug 28 Introduction / Why Hagiography? / World Wide Cults of Saints

Kieckhefer; read sections of the Bollandist Web (including their "Short History")

Tu Sept 5 The Cult of Saints (cont.) / Scholarship of Critical Hagiography

Reading from “Martyrs”; Passion of the Scillitan Martyrs

Tu Sept 12 The Passions of the Martyrs

Reading from “Desert Fathers”; Jerome's Life of Paul

Tu Sept 19 The Desert Fathers

Brown

Tu Sept 26 The Cult of the Saints and the Latin Church

Reading from “Byzantine Hagiography”; "New Developments"

Tu Oct 3 The Greek Tradition