REL-238 Material Religion in Medieval Christendom

Examines the evolving relationship between religion and material culture in European Christianity, i.e., how religious belief and practice exist interdependently with art, sacred space, devotional objects, and other material dimensions of lived religion. Particular attention will be paid to the visual dialogue with different religious traditions, as well as to internal conflicts within the tradition over the relationship of visual and material realities to conceptions of the spiritual and the divine. This course is being designed as a companion course to the May X course REL 239, “Material Religion in Premodern Europe,” and will normally be offered during the spring semester as a requirement for students participating in the travel study program. 2 credits