christian spirituality

Who decreed that Rome would stop persecuting Christians?

Constantine

Main goal of early Christian monasticism?

Spiritual perfection and closeness to God

“Monk” comes from Greek “monachos” meaning

Alone

First Christian monks lived mostly in …

Deserts

Founder of western monasticism was …

St. Benedict

Wha was the title of St. Benedict’s most famous work?

The Rule

According to the Rule of St. Benedict, monks should live by …

Prayer and work

Main architectural feature of a monastery was …

The cloister

Monasteries were important bc they…

Preserved culture and learning

What best describes monastic spirituality?

Contemplative and withdrawn from the world

Medieval monasteries were often located in …

Rural and isolated areas

“Mendicant”

Beggar

Why were mendicant order founded?

To bring spiritual renewal to cities

Mendicant friars were different from monks bc they …

Moved through towns preaching and teaching

The 2 main mendicant orders were:

Franciscans and Dominicans

Franciscan order was founded in …

Italy

St. Francis of Assisi emphasized …

Poverty and imitation of Christ

Francis came from a family of …

Wealthy merchants

Dominicans were also called …

Oder of Preachers

Dominican motto “Veritas” means …

Truth

Dominican spirituality gave special importance to …

Studying and preaching

Mendicant churches were built mainly in …

Cities

Mendicant churches had …

Large open naves for preaching

Rise of mendicant orders was connected to …

Urban growth and the merchant class

Who was a famous Dominican preacher in Florence?

Girolamo Savonarola

Savonarola preached against …

Corruption, luxury, and gambling

The “bonfire of the Vanities” aimed to …

Destroy object of vanity and sin

Santa Maria Novella in Florence was a …

Dominican convent and preaching church

The pulpits in mendicant churches were used for …

Preaching to large crowds

What does the architecture of mendicant churches express?

Openness to the city and the ppl

The mendicant orders changed spirituality by …

Bringing it into city life and among lay people

Prior to the Age of Reformation religion was divided into 2 categories:

One for educated elites and one for ‘superstitious’ common people

Key saints of the Catholic Church

Peter, Paul, Francis, Claire of Assisi, Dominic, Benedict, Thomas Aquinas, Augustine, John the Baptist, Cathrine of Siena, Ignatius of Loyola, Sebastian, and Steven

St. Peter

Symbolize authority and faith, 1st pope, depicted holding two keys representing the keys to Heaven, often depreciated with a rooster to symbolize his denials of Christ

St. Paul

Represents mission and reason, appears with a sword of truth, cuts through ignorance and sin, often holds a book representing his letters

St. Francis

Represents poverty and nature, happiness comes from simplicity and serving others, embodies the spirit of humility and love of all God’s creations

St. Claire of Assisi

Importance of contemplation, known for profound spirituality and commitment to a life of prayer and poverty, serves as a guiding light for those seeking a deeper connection to God

St. Dominic

Dedication to preaching and education aimed to combat ignorance and promote the truth of Christianity through study, dialogue, and compassion

St. Benedict

Father of western monasticism, authored The Rule, preached moderation, community life, and the balance of prayer and work, shown as elderly monk holding a book and a bishop staff, symbolizes stability and balance

St. Thomas Aquinas

Harmonizing faith and reason, argued that faith and reason are compatible and can work together to understand divine truths, wrote extensively where he sought to demonstrate the rationality of faith and the existence of God, dr of the church

St. Augustine

Life marked by a quest for truth and inner peace, preached importance of personal reflection and divine grace in the journey of life, depicted wearing robe and carrying a heart in flames, holiness can be an inner journey

St. John the Baptist

Prophet that paved the way for the Messiah, symbolizes transition bw old and New Testament

St. Cathrine of Siena

Dominican mystic and dr of the church, renounced for her profound spiritual experiences that transformed her life and the church, emphasized the importance of personal faith, compassion, and service

St. Ignitius of Loyola

Jesuit founder, emphasized importance of education in spiritual life, believed in integrating deep prayer with active mission, promoting a transformative educational experience that encouraged critical thinking and ethical action

St. Sebastian

Christian martyr who embodied bravery and unwavering faith, shot arrows through his body but lived, became powerful symbol of endurance in the face of suffering

St. Steven

The first martyr, embodies sacrifice and steadfastness in the face of persecution, illustrating the early challenges faced by Christians and their unwavering commitment to their beliefs

Reformation basics

Marked by profound changes in religion, society, and culture

Printing press invented

Redefined Christian faith and had lasting impacts on political structures and individual beliefs across the continents

What in the Catholic Church caused the Reformation?

Church moved away from the main message of faith and was focusing too much on rules and money

Indulgences -

In exchange for money the person would have less time in purgatory

2 reformations

Protestant and Catholic

Protestant reformation was started in __ by __ __

1517, Martin Luther

Martin Luther’s main idea

We are justified by faith not by our own words

95 thesis goal

Conversation

5 ways that God saves according to Martin Luther:

Justification by faith, scripture alone, grace alone, priesthood of all believers, Christ at the center

Justification by faith

Salvation is a gift from God relieved through faith in Jesus not through individual works or merits

Scripture alone

The Bible is the ultimate authority in matter of faith and practice, independent of church traditions

Grace alone

Salvation is an unmerited gift from God, not something that can be warned by one’s own work

Priesthood of all believers

Every baptized Christian shares a priestly role, enabling direct access to God without need for a priest

Christ at the center

Does this practice lead me closer to Christ or away from Him, emphasizes the importance of maintaining a personal relationship with Jesus

Main goal of Martin Luther campaign

Wanted sinners to find comfort in Christ

John Calvin emphasized the importance of…

Discipline, morality, and the sovereignty of God in the lives of believers

Calvinism def

Every believer is called to live an active Christian life, cultivating a personal relationship with God and reflecting Christian values in society

Calvinism motto

Mystical, communal, and social

Do Calvists believe in transubstantiation?

No they believe they receive the spiritual power of Christ through the Holy Spirit

According to John Calvin, what are the signs of faith

Hard work, discipline, and responsibility

Catholic reformation aka …

Counter-reformation

What was the catholic reformation in response to?

Internal issues and the Protestant reformation

Council of Trent

Most important even of Catholic Reformation, aimed at giving the church a clear strength and new identity

Goals accomplished at the Council of Trent

Explaining and defending Catholic teaching, reforming church discipline and moral life, renewed spirituality of the clergy and the faithful

St. Januarius

Miracle of blood liquidification

Origins of “spirituality”

Latin spiritualities, from Greek pneuma (spirit); initially Pauline moral sense

Mysticism def

Intensified aspect of spirituality emphasizing immediate, experimental awareness of God

Ascetetical-Monastic Type def

Spirituality emphasizing withdrawal, discipline, and rule-based community

Mystical type def

Spirituality prioritizing contemplative union and illumination

Active-practical type def

Spirituality locating holiness in ordinary life and social action

Prophetic-critical type def

Spirituality focused on social justice and structural critique

Constitutive disciplines def

Disciplines inherent to the study of Christian spirituality

Constitutive disciplines examples

History and scripture

Problematic disciplines def

Helpful but external fields of study

Problematic disciplines examples

Psychology, sociology, and literature

Antony of Egypt

Early hermit who inspired desert monasticism and ascetic ideals

Pachomius

Founder of organized communal (cenobitic) monastic settlements (Tabennisis)

Cenobitic monasticism def

Communal monastic life under a rule and abbot

Hermit (eremitical) life def

Solitary ascetic practice oriented to contemplation and struggle

St. Basil’s rule

Eastern monastic rule emphasizing moderation, community, liturgy, and work

Rule of St. Benedict def

Western foundational monastic rule emphasizing ore et labora (prayer and work), stability, obedience, and humility

Lectio divina

Monastic practice of sacred reading intended to transform the reader

Stigmata

Marks resembling the wounds on the crucified body of Christ (pierced hands and feet)

Cluniac reform

10th-11th century monastic reform emphasizing liturgy and centralized monastic authority

Cistercians def

Reform movement emphasizing simplicity, manual labor, and stricter observance

Vita evangélica def

Movement/ideal of living the Gospel literally through community and action (urban emphasis)

Mendicant orders def

Religious orders that live by poverty and urban ministry

Beguinage/beguines def

Lay women communities pursuing communal spirituality without formal monastic vows

Cult of saints def

Popular devotion focused on saints’ relics, shrines, processions, and civic religious identity

Cathedral spirituality def

The sacralization of urban spaces through cathedrals, liturgy, and civic rituals

Devotio Moderna def

Late-medieval movement emphasizing interior piety and practical devotion for clergy

Christian humanism def

Renaissance intellectual movement seeking to reform piety and learning through classical studies and scripture

Radical reformation def

Movements emphasizing discipleship, communal ethics, and sometimes social revolt

Teresa of Avila and John of the Cross

Carmelite reformers and major mystical writers of the Catholic Reformation

Martyrdom def

The death or suffering of a martyr