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Religion and Faith in the Reception of the Middle Ages
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Religion and Faith in the Reception of the Middle Ages

A special issue of Religions (ISSN 2077-1444).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 May 2023) | Viewed by 11037

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Rastislav Nemec

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Education, University of Trnava, Hornopotočná 23, 902 01 Trnava, Slovakia
Interests: ancient and medieval philosophy; philosophical hermeneutics; medieval theory of sign; philosophy of W. Ockham
Dr. Andrea Blaščíková

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute for Research of Constantine and Methodius' Cultural Heritage, Faculty of Arts, Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra, Štefánikova 67, 94974 Nitra, Slovakia
Interests: virtue ethics in the Middle Ages; philosophy of education; religious education

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue will focus on the problem of religion and faith from the point of view of various medieval scholars.

The medieval view of religio was derived from two ancient traditions. One was the idea of religion associated with something official and universal. In this sense, the antiquity gave birth to the later developed tradition of thought, within which religion was interpreted as a rite, cultus, and official obedience and service to God. Various scholars including Cicero, Arnobius and Lactantius responded to this ancient image by appealing to the interiority of man, individual experience, piety, devotion, to the necessity of personal (religare) renewal of one's relationship with God. Perception of religion/religiosity in the teaching of medieval scholars (Augustine, Isidore of Seville and others) reacted to the motives of these authors in the beginning. In particular, they focused on a new view of the virtue of religio. This was interpreted as both justice towards God and ancient wisdom (sapientia), from which significant works of artistic and theological value emerged. At the same time, the influence of new scholarship and the study of liberal arts encouraged the search for new interpretation of religion through the aspect of fides. Faith was one of the most frequent themes in medieval philosophical treatises, and yet we cannot say that it has been definitively exhausted. It was mostly understood as a personal, progressive and dynamic inner relationship, which was also being newly reflected and manifested through the deeds. The medieval approach to the term faith was varied and very creative.

The aim of the Special Issue is to introduce:

  1. The most interesting interpretative philosophical attitudes towards religion and faith in the works of great philosophical and theological masters (Augustine, Anselm, Aquinas, etc.) within a contemporary context;
  2. Variations in medieval theological reflection in the field of apologetics, religious and intercultural dialogue (Abaelard, Lull, Nicholas of Cusa);
  3. Personal experience of faith (fides) in medieval monastic spirituality and mysticism (Hugh of St. Victor, St. Francis of Assisi, Bonaventure, M. Eckhart).

Thus, this Special Issue will—we believe—present a fitting addition to already existing literature and supplement its outcomes, e.g., Ethan Shagan’s The Birth of Modern Belief. Faith and Judgement from The Middle ages To The Enlightenment (Princeton 2019) and Bernd Hamm’s later work The Reformation of Faith in the Context of Late Medieval Theology and Piety (Brill 2004) and in some way accomplish Cameron’s work Enchanted Europe: Superstition, Religion and Reason 1250-1750 (Oxford University Press 2010).

Prof. Dr. Rastislav Nemec
Dr. Andrea Blaščíková
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Religions is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • medieval philosophy and theology
  • medieval religious Jewish/Christian/Muslim dialogue
  • religious spiritual and mystic literature
  • religious faith and Seven Liberal Arts (Trivium and Quadrivium)

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 324 KiB  
Article
Saint Bonaventure’s Doctrine on the Virgin Mary’s Immaculate Conception
by José María Salvador-González
Religions 2023, 14(7), 930; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14070930 - 18 Jul 2023
Viewed by 1169
Abstract
This article seeks to shed light on the approach of Saint Bonaventure of Bagnoregio (1217/21–1274) on the highly problematic issue of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary. In a context of heated debates on the matter, Saint Bonaventure presents a long and [...] Read more.
This article seeks to shed light on the approach of Saint Bonaventure of Bagnoregio (1217/21–1274) on the highly problematic issue of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary. In a context of heated debates on the matter, Saint Bonaventure presents a long and complex set of arguments that we can summarize as follows: Mary was conceived with original sin contaminating her body at first, but she was cleansed of it and sanctified immediately after her conception, at the very moment of the animation of her body, that is, when her soul gave life to her body. Therefore, the author concludes that even though the body of Mary, like that of all human beings except Christ, was conceived with original sin, it was thoroughly cleansed, and her body was sanctified from the very first moment at which it was animated by her holy soul and cleansed of all sin. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Religion and Faith in the Reception of the Middle Ages)
13 pages, 2277 KiB  
Article
Relations in Ramon Llull’s Trinitarian Ontology
by Peter Volek
Religions 2023, 14(7), 909; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14070909 - 13 Jul 2023
Viewed by 895
Abstract
After his conversion in 1263, and following a vision on Mount Randa in 1273, Ramon Llull adopted a trinitarian view of the world. At the same time, he found his purpose in missionary activity, seeking to convert Christians, Muslims, and Jews to the [...] Read more.
After his conversion in 1263, and following a vision on Mount Randa in 1273, Ramon Llull adopted a trinitarian view of the world. At the same time, he found his purpose in missionary activity, seeking to convert Christians, Muslims, and Jews to the Catholic faith. He also wanted to serve this purpose through his books. The trinitarian ontology that these books presuppose can be seen in his understanding of relations. Llull’s trinitarianism begins with the Augustinian tradition’s trinitarian understanding of the world. The basis of his trinitarian ontology lies in his understanding of correlatives, one of his most original contributions to the thought. Together with relative principles and the doctrine of God’s Dignities as absolute principles, these form the basis of his doctrine of Art, the art of combining elements. Trinitarian ontology also appears in his analysis of human’s relationship with God, in his dynamic definition of human being, and in the structure of the composition of human being. This article will show that trinitarian ontology is a presupposition of Ramon Llull’s vision of the world. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Religion and Faith in the Reception of the Middle Ages)
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14 pages, 293 KiB  
Article
The Unknowability and Imagination in Mystical Doctrines of the Late Medieval English Mysticism
by Lucie Rathouzská
Religions 2023, 14(7), 878; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14070878 - 6 Jul 2023
Viewed by 780
Abstract
There are three English authors of the fourteenth century we may call “imaginative mystics” because of their use of imagination in spiritual praxis, i.e., Richard Rolle, Walter Hilton, and the unknown author of the Cloud of Unknowing. However, recently, there has been [...] Read more.
There are three English authors of the fourteenth century we may call “imaginative mystics” because of their use of imagination in spiritual praxis, i.e., Richard Rolle, Walter Hilton, and the unknown author of the Cloud of Unknowing. However, recently, there has been some criticism expressed regarding these doctrines; in particular, there is a question of whether a spiritual praxis, which includes imaginative images, can keep the principle of the unknowability of God. There is also a question of sensual perception. Imaginative images keep some attributes of sensual perception, such as shape, and they always have some spatiality and temporality. There is a question: how can these images depict the spiritual nature of God and spiritual objects themselves? There is even a possibility that imagination darkens contemplative vision and turns the soul’s attention back to the world. In this paper, I will try to show how these three English authors kept the principle of God’s unknowability and what the role of the imagination in their spiritual praxis is. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Religion and Faith in the Reception of the Middle Ages)
16 pages, 288 KiB  
Article
Aquinas’s Understanding of Religion
by John Anthony Berry
Religions 2023, 14(7), 855; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14070855 - 29 Jun 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3575
Abstract
Thomas Aquinas emerges as a remarkable figure whose significant literary contributions have had a profound impact on our understanding of religion. Drawing inspiration from both the Greco-Roman philosophical and legal traditions, particularly the influential works of Cicero and the rich Christian tradition, notably [...] Read more.
Thomas Aquinas emerges as a remarkable figure whose significant literary contributions have had a profound impact on our understanding of religion. Drawing inspiration from both the Greco-Roman philosophical and legal traditions, particularly the influential works of Cicero and the rich Christian tradition, notably Augustine, Aquinas presents a comprehensive and nuanced approach to the multifaceted concept of ‘religion’. While his analysis often situates ‘religion’ within the moral framework of justice, highlighting its inherent concern with the relationship between humanity and the divine, Aquinas goes beyond mere moral principles in his exploration. His aim is to establish a universal understanding of ‘religion’, offering a well-defined definition and presenting a philosophical and theological doctrine. In this paper, we shall first delve into the foundations and underlying principles that shaped Aquinas’s interpretation of religion. Next, we will undertake a thorough examination of religion as a virtue, highlighting Aquinas’s emphasis on its intrinsic connection to justice rather than confining it to the realm of religious sentiment, piety, or devotion. Finally, our research will explore the specific terminologies employed by Aquinas to elucidate the concept of religion, providing a comprehensive and nuanced approach to the ongoing discourse on this topic. Aquinas’s contribution rests in his defence of religion’s inherent public nature, grounded in its anthropological foundation and its virtuous essence. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Religion and Faith in the Reception of the Middle Ages)
15 pages, 369 KiB  
Article
Deus sine nomine: Dialectic as a Tool for the Christian Interpretation of Boethius’s Consolatio III, m. 9, by Adalbold of Utrecht
by Marek Otisk
Religions 2023, 14(5), 628; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14050628 - 7 May 2023
Viewed by 1395
Abstract
The Consolation of Philosophy by Boethius was not only widely read during the Middle Ages, but it was also frequently glossed, commented on, and discussed. The ninth poem of the third book, which offers a Platonic image of the creation of the cosmos [...] Read more.
The Consolation of Philosophy by Boethius was not only widely read during the Middle Ages, but it was also frequently glossed, commented on, and discussed. The ninth poem of the third book, which offers a Platonic image of the creation of the cosmos and the governance over it, had a specific place in the reception of this Boethius’s work. Today we know of numerous debates about the possible interpretations of this poem and its Christian understanding, dating back at least to the 9th century. This paper deals with the commentary on this poem written by Adalbold of Utrecht († 1026). Attention is focused in particular on the role of dialectic in selected passages of this Adalbold’s text and on the inspirational sources of his dialectical knowledge. Specifically, the paper deals with the possibility of definition or description of God (Deus sine nomine), and arguments explaining the appropriateness or inappropriateness of conceptualizing God as the form of the highest good (forma summi boni). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Religion and Faith in the Reception of the Middle Ages)
10 pages, 286 KiB  
Article
The Virtue of Religio in Thomas Aquinas: Between Justice and Love
by Rastislav Nemec and Andrea Blaščíková
Religions 2023, 14(5), 571; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14050571 - 24 Apr 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1567
Abstract
The aim of this article is to interpret the virtue of religio in the thinking of Thomas Aquinas against the background of his Summa Theologiae. In Summa Theologiae, the issue is placed in the context of justice and injustice; thus, this [...] Read more.
The aim of this article is to interpret the virtue of religio in the thinking of Thomas Aquinas against the background of his Summa Theologiae. In Summa Theologiae, the issue is placed in the context of justice and injustice; thus, this article seeks to show the deeper reason as well as the possible connections between religio and iustitia. Justice, according to Thomas, is preferably realised where there are differences among people and some debt (debitum) occurs that needs to be settled. The inclusion of the virtue of religio under justice is justified by the existence of a relationship in which a debitum also arises, but settlement is impossible. Aristotle, who inspired Thomas, claims that true friendship rests on similarity and equality. This article wants to present how this opinion of Aristotle could be manifested in Thomas’s description of the virtue of religio. The article posits the question of whether the gift of friendship with God does not permit us to give a new interpretation of the virtue of religio. The authors conclude that, together with love, the virtue of religio is infused into man, thanks to which he can perform deeds commensurate with the goal of ultimate beatitude. For a person who loves God, the act of religio is not only a means of satisfying the demand of justice towards the Creator of all things but also a grace in which he returns his love to God. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Religion and Faith in the Reception of the Middle Ages)
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