History 337/ Religion 217
Medieval European Mysticism
Fall 1999
Professor: Deeana Klepper
Office and Hours:
Stetson H12
ext. 2125
Thursday, 10-12, or by appointment
e-mail: deeana.klepper@williams.edu
Description
Texts
Requirements
Help
Schedule
September
October
November
December
A rich mystical tradition flourished in medieval Europe in both the Christian and Jewish realms. In this course we will examine some of the classic mystical texts of the period—both orthodox and heretical in the case of Christian texts. We will explore the roots of medieval mysticism, varieties of mystical tradition, and the conditions which gave rise to certain approaches or movements. In considering the social and cultural context of mysticism, we will pay particular attention to the role of gender and the role of authority in mystical writing/practice/teaching. While most of the reading will be in primary source material (in translation), we will also look at some of the recent scholarship in the field. The course is comparative in that we will explore both Christian and Jewish mysticism in some depth, sometimes, though not always, in relationship to each other.
Required Texts: Available for purchase at Water St. Books and on 24 hour reserve in the Sawyer Library:
E. Petroff, Medieval Women’s Visionary Literature
L. Jacobs, The Schocken Book of Jewish Mystical Testimonies
D. Matt, Zohar, The Book of Enlightenment
Marguerite Porete, The Mirror of Simple Souls
Meister Eckhart, The Essential Sermons, Commentaries, Treatises, and Defense
Also: a packet of photocopies, available in the History Office.
Most assignments are also on reserve in Sawyer Library.
Please bring all reading materials to class on the day(s) they are assigned.
Course Requirements: Students are expected to attend and participate in every class. All reading is to be completed before the class for which it is assigned. The class participation grade will be based on the level of your preparedness and involvement in discussion. Written work for the class will include three 5-7 page papers and a final exam. Students will also be expected to make a brief oral presentation on one of the papers. The grading for the course will be as follows: 20% for class participation, 20% for each of the three papers, and 20% for the final exam.
Help with Basic Information on Christianity and Judaism: There are no prerequisites for this course, and there is no expectation of prior experience in medieval religious history. That said, those with no background in Christianity or Judaism will often find that they need help understanding basic concepts. To that end, here are a handful of sources available in the library and on the internet. If you come across other useful sources you would like to share, by all means let me know.
Reference Books in the Library: Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church, 3rd ed. (1997) Ref BR95 .O8 1997; Oxford Dictionary of the Jewish Religion (1997) Ref BM50 .O94 1997; The Encyclopedia Judaica, the number one place to go for questions on Judaism or Jewish history, is available on cd rom in the library.
Resources on the Web: The Catholic Encyclopedia On-line is a good resource for questions on Christian history/biography/theology. For questions on Jewish tradition/history, a very basic (but readily accessible) source on the web is called Judaism 101. See also this short glossary to Jewish terms/concepts
Background Articles: R. N. Swanson, Religion and Devotion in Europe, c. 1215-c.1515, 10-41. G. Scholem, "General Characteristics of Jewish Mysticism," Major Trends in Jewish Mysticism, 1-39 (photocopies in course pack); B. McGinn, The Presence of God: A History of Western Christian Mysticism. Vol. I, Foundations of Mysticism, Origins to the Fifth Century, xi-xx (on Reserve)
Fri, Sep 10 Introduction: Creation and the Work of Mysticism
Tues, Sep 14 Biblical Heritage and Merkavah Mysticism
Assignment: Ezekiel, Ch. 1, L. Jacobs, Jewish Mystical Testimonies, 21-28; "The Riders of the Chariot," Jacobs, 35-44; J. Dan, "The Religious Experience of the Merkavah," Jewish Spirituality from the Bible through the Middle Ages, A. Green, ed., 289-307; Sefer Yetzirah
Fri, Sep 17 Neoplatonic Heritage
Assignment: Assignment: Plato’s Allegory of the Cave; Pseudo-Dionysius, "The Celestial Hierarchy," Pseudo-Dionysius. The Complete Works, C. Luibheid, trans., 143-191 (photocopy)
Tues, Sep 21 The Love Affair with God - the Monastic Tradition
Assignment: St. Bernard of Clairvaux, "Sermons on the Song of Songs," Geary, Readings in Medieval History, 22-30; J. Wimsatt, "St. Bernard, the Canticle of Canticles, and Mystical Poetry," An Introduction to the Medieval Mystics of Europe, P. Szarmach, ed., 77-95; Richard of St. Victor, "On the Four Degrees of Passionate Charity," 213-233 (photocopies)
Fri, Sep 24 "A Poor Little Female" Hildegard of Bingen and the Visionary Tradition
Assignment: E. Petroff, Medieval Women’s Visionary Literature, 151-158; B. Newman, Sister of Wisdom. St. Hildegard’s Theology of the Feminine, 1-41 (photocopy)
Tues, Sep 28 German Pietists: Ethical Behavior and the Merkavah
Assignment: Rabbi Eliazer of Worms, "Sodei Razayya," Jacobs, 61-70
Fri, Oct 1 The Emergence of Kabbalah
Assignment: J. Dan, ed., The Early Kabbalah, Introduction, 1-23; Sefer Ha-Bahir, 57-69; Rabbi Azriel of Gerona, 87-96 (photocopy)
Tues, Oct 5 The Secret in the Text: Zohar
Assignment: D. Matt, Zohar: The Book of Enlightenment, Introduction and excerpts from the Zohar on Genesis, xii-95, INCLUDING notes at back of book!
Fri, Oct 8 The Secret in the Text: Zohar
Assignment: D. Matt, Zohar, Excerpts from the Zohar on Exodus and Deuteronomy, 97-141; 182-189, INCLUDING notes at back of book!
Tues, Oct 12 Esotericism and Exotericism in Jewish Mysticism
Assignment: Commentaries of Rashi, Ibn Ezra, and Ramban in Genesis 1 (photocopies)
FIRST PAPER DUE
miniature from the Codex Manesse (University of Heidelberg library)
Fri, Oct 15 Vernacular Literature, Lay Piety, and Female Mysticism
Assignment: Andreas Capellanus, "The Art of Courtly Love"; Miracles of the host; E. Petroff, "Women and Mysticism in the Medieval World," Body and Soul, Essays on Medieval Women and Mysticism, 3-24; B. McGinn, "Meister Eckhart and the Beguines in the Context of Vernacular Theology," Meister Eckhart and the Beguine Mystics, B. McGinn, ed., 1-14
Tues, Oct 19 Reading Period, No Class
Fri, Oct 22 Vernacular Literature and the Beguine Mystics
Assignment: Beatriijs of Nazareth, "Seven Manners of Loving God," Petroff, 171-178; 200-206; Hadewijch of Brabant, "Letters and Visions," Petroff, 189-200; Hadewijch, Poems, from Hadewijch. The Complete Works, Mother Columba Hart O.S.B., trans., 149-152; 168-171; 227-229; 240-243; 352-358 (photocopy)
Tues, Oct 26 Annihilation of the Soul in Christian Mysticism
Assignment: Marguerite Porete, "The Mirror of Simple Souls," Ellen Babinsky, trans. Entire book, including the preface, introduction, and text.
Fri, Oct 29 Marguerite Porete and the Heresy of the Free Spirit
Assignment: Marguerite Porete, "The Mirror of Simple Souls"; R. Lerner, Heresy of the Free Spirit, 1-9; 200-227 (Photocopy)
Tues, Nov 2 Marguerite Porete and Meister Eckhart
Meister Eckhart, The Essential Sermons, Commentaries, Treatises, and Defense, Introduction; 177-203; 285-294
Fri, Nov 5 Meister Eckhart’s Condemnation and Defense
Assignment: Meister Eckhart, 71-81
SECOND PAPER DUE
Tues, Nov 9 The Cloud of Unknowing
Assignment: E. Underhill’s introduction to the text; excerpts from the text (photocopy)
Fri, Nov 12 Nothingness in Jewish Mysticism
Assignment, D. Matt, Ayin: The Concept of Nothingness in Jewish Mysticism," Essential Papers on Kabbalah, L. Fine, ed., 67-108; D. Matt, The Essential Kabbalah, 66-70, and notes on 181-183 (photocopies)
Tues, Nov 16 The Kabbalistic Path to Mystical Union
Assignment: Jacobs, 71-91; M. Idel, "Abraham Abulafia and Unio Mystica" Studies in Ecstatic Kabbalah, 1-31 (photocopy)
Fri, Nov 19 Apostolic Poverty and Mystical Piety
Assignment: St. Francis, Canticle of Brother Sun (English follows the Italian); St. Bonaventure, "The Soul’s Journey into God," E. Cousins, ed., trans., 53-116 (photocopy)
Tues, Nov 23 Apostolic Poverty and Mystical Piety
Assignment: Blessed Angela of Foligno, "The Book of the Experience of the Truly Faithful," Petroff, 254-263
Fri, Nov 26 Thanksgiving Break, No Class
Tues, Nov 30 Apostolic Poverty and Mystical Piety
Assignment: St. Catherine of Siena, "Letters," Petroff, 263-275
THIRD PAPER DUE
Fri, Dec 3 Ethics and Asceticism in Jewish Mysticism: The Mystics of Safed
Assignment: D. Matt, The Essential Kabbalah, 83-88; 191-193; L. Fine, Safed Spirituality, 1-24; 48-49; 61-80 (photocopies); Jacobs, 122-151
Tues, Dec 7 Gender and Access to God
Assignment: C. Bynum, Holy Feast and Holy Fast 1-9; 277-302; Chava Weissler, "Woman as High Priest: A Kabbalistic Prayer in Yiddish for Lighting Sabbath Candles," Essential Papers on Kabbalah, L. Fine, ed., 525-546 (photocopies)
Dec 10 - 13 Reading Period
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