Religion in Medieval England

3 Credits · Level: Undergraduate

In this course we examine the many interrelated dimensions of religion, particularly Christianity, in medieval England—as practice and belief; as institution(s) with political influences; as theology, or the learned articulation of faith; and as cultural expression, when those practices, institutions, and theological claims are transmitted or challenged by artists. We will attend to the religious pluralism of the era, including the relationship between Christians and Jews, and competing views of Christianity. In Spring 2024, our main focus will be on fourteenth-century England and how the “Black Death” of 1349 changed religion in England so fundamentally—as well as how religious ideas and practices gave hope to the survivors and helped address certain social injustices. Our main texts will be The Cloud of Unknowing; William Langland, Piers Plowman; Julian of Norwich, Revelation of Divine Love; and Geoffrey Chaucer, Canterbury Tales.