Pastoral Care in Medieval England: Interdisciplinary Approaches

ISBN-13: 9781472438539 / Angielski / Twarda / 2019 / 224 str.

Peter D. Clarke;Sarah James

Opis

Pastoral Care, the religious mission of the Church to minister to the laity and care for their spiritual welfare, has been a subject of growing interest in medieval studies. The present volume differs from and builds upon previous publications in a number of important respects. First, it covers not just one part of the medieval period, but the span from the 9th to the 15th centuries, allowing greater scope to explore historical development, comparisons and contrasts over the longue duree. Second, it is not just focused on work by historians, but comprises studies by scholars in a wide range of disciplines, including history, literature, art history, and music. The rationale is that Medieval Pastoral Care is a subject of broad interdisciplinary interest, and to achieve a richer and fuller appreciation of this important topic, medievalists from different disciplines need to engage in dialogue with one another. This volume will encapsulate such dialogue, demonstrate its value, and hopefully encourage further similar dialogue; medievalists have increasingly recognised the utility of interdisciplinary approaches, and this volume intends to provide a clear demonstration of this. Thirdly it will present not only a new methodological approach to Medieval Pastoral Care, but cutting-edge research on the subject from younger scholars and more established figures, on themes as diverse as pastoral literature, mission and preaching, liturgy, and penance. Finally the volume will be timely not only because of wide, growing interest in Medieval Pastoral Care but also because it is intended to coincide in 2015 with the 8th centenary of the Fourth Lateran Council (1215); the latter's decrees arguably did more than those of any other general church council to promote and reform pastoral care in the medieval West. Several of the volume's chapters will, therefore, reassess the council's legislation on pastoral care and its impact. The wide chronological coverage of the volume will