Guide to the Discussion of Medieval Ideas

The theme of this discussion is the relation of body and soul. This was a fundamental theological issue for thinkers of the middle ages. The Christian idea was that the soul is that part of our humanity that can be saved by God, whereas the body is corruptible part of us which threatens to pull us away from God forever. The basic question was, then, how do the two parts of us interact during our life on earth? Knowing this is critical to knowing the true human condition.

Assignment: 3-page discussion brief

.5 page: identify an important passage in your person's writing that the class should read and discuss. Prepare three or four connected questions (from simple to the more complex) for the students to answer in search of the meaning of the passage.

1.5 pages: Briefly introduce yourself (when and where you lived, and your principle accomplishments). Then more fully explain your general theological point of view, and your specific understanding of the body-soul question.

1 page: Develop two or three comparative questions for the other person and write a short paragraph on each explaining the reason for the question (which you will not have state during the conversation). Your question can acknowledge key similarities between Aquinas and Hildegard, while highlighting a difference. Example: Aquinas might agree with Hildegard that the soul is in charge of the body, but wonder how she came up with her analysis. Hildegard might wonder whether reason is the only way for the soul to take charge, and so forth.