13. Monasticism

The Early Middle Ages, 284--1000 (HIST 210)

Professor Freedman discusses some of the paradoxes of monasticism in the Early Middle Ages. To the modern mind, monks and learning make a natural pair. However, this combination is not an obvious outcome of early monasticism, which emphasized asceticism and renunciation of the world. As it moved west, monasticism shifted away from its eremetic beginnings in Egypt and Syria to more communal way of life under the Rule of St Benedict. In addition to communal life, the Rule emphasized prayer and labor; the latter of which was interpreted to include reading and eventually the copying of manuscripts.

00:00 - Chapter 1. Introduction to Monasticism
10:20 - Chapter 2. Renouncing the World
17:58 - Chapter 3. Monks and Hermits as Spiritual Patrons
25:17 - Chapter 4. Monasticism in the West
30:19 - Chapter 5. Rule of St. Benedict
43:33 - Chapter 6. Monasticism and Learning

Complete course materials are available at the Yale Online website: online.yale.edu


This course was recorded in Fall 2011.