HIST 21400 - Mystics, Popes and Pilgrims

Course Credit: 1
From the late twelfth to the late fourteenth century, western Christendom grew simultaneously in two very different directions. While the papacy became increasingly involved in temporal concerns, often competing with kings and emperors for earthly power, ordinary believers sought more personal means of engaging with their faith. In the cases of more extra-ordinary believers, mystics and pilgrims, extreme physical hardship and the sacrifice of worldly possessions was seen as an avenue toward salvation. This course will explore the nature of these alternative expressions of faith and examine how the popularity and influence of such famous mystics as Francis of Assisi and Catherine of Siena challenged the worldly aspirations of the hierarchy of the Church. Field trips to the Vatican, Assisi, the pilgrim route to Rome, and a working monastery will emphasize the role landscape and location played in the experience of popular religion. Offered as part of the “Wooster Summer in Tuscany” program. [Pre-1800] Alternate Years. [C, HSS, R]