Medieval Ideas

I. Gothic Art and Music (13th century)

A. Architecture

1. Gothic compared with Romanesque

a. Gothic examples: Saint Chapelle, Notre Dame

2. vertical and colorful

B. Illumination of the Word

1. text illumination: Windmill Psalter

2. stained glass: Chartres Cathedral

C. Polyphonic music

1. Perotinus's Sederant

2. polyphonic music analogous to colored image

D. All elements combined to bring people to the presence of God

1. lasting legacy for our civilization

II. New progress in learning

A. founding of universities

1. Universities of Bologna (1158), Paris (1200),  Oxford (1208)

2. Trivium and Quadrivium

3. Disciplines of law, medicine and theology

4. Purpose to produce more capable priesthood and civil service

B. Rediscovery of ancient texts

1. Recovery of Roman law, Hellenistic science and Arab mathematics

2. Arab translations and commentaries, especially of Aristotle

C. Scholasticism--reconciling faith and reason
1. Systematic analysis of theology

a. Abelard's rational method. Opposed by Bernard

2. Thomas Aquinas--harmonizing Aristotle with Christianity

III. Two different ways of knowing God

A. Mystics

1. Immanence of God

2. Direct interactions with the divine

B. Scholastics

1. The word of God

2. Theological analysis

C. Comparing Hildegard with St. Thomas