Medieval Literature V: Medieval Chivalry I
The Pillars: Jerusalem, Athens, and the Western Mind
Release Date: 06/18/2025
Medieval Literature VI: Medieval Chivalry II
The Pillars: Jerusalem, Athens, and the Western Mind
Passion, love, and romance take center stage in Medieval chivalric literature. As we survey some of the greatest works of that genre, we’ll find answers to the following questions: How does Tristan and Iseult highlight the tension between marriage and love that was commonplace in the past? What light does Tristan and Iseult shed on the nature of love versus loyalty? Why is the chivalric idealization of woman such an important development in the context of Christendom and Western culture? Recommended Reading: . Retold by J. Bédier. Translated by H. Belloc, George Allen & Company, Ltd.,...
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Medieval Literature V: Medieval Chivalry I
The Pillars: Jerusalem, Athens, and the Western Mind
The tragic heroes of the classical era now give way to the new type of hero who will arise in Medieval literature. To help us explore this concept, we’ll unpack the following questions: What makes Beowulf so alluring that new generations of readers are regularly drawn to it? Why is The Song of Roland such an important part of the western tradition? How much does Medieval chivalry form the basis for romance? Recommended Reading: . New York: Penguin Classics, 2015.
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Medieval Literature IV: Medieval Law and Love
The Pillars: Jerusalem, Athens, and the Western Mind
The worlds of legal structures and romantic entanglements take a huge step forward during this time period. On today’s episode, Rabbi Rocklin will answer the following questions: How did Charlemagne’s patronage of the liberal arts lead to the establishment of the university? Was the signing of the Magna Carta a legal development unique to England? How do the letters of Peter Abelard and Heloise illustrate the development of love, both between man and woman as well as between man and God?
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Medieval Literature III: Aquinas
The Pillars: Jerusalem, Athens, and the Western Mind
The next great philosopher in the tradition of western thought was Thomas Aquinas. As we survey his intellectual developments, we’ll address the following questions: Within the broad tradition of Christian scholars, what makes Aquinas so unique? What was Aquinas’ goal in examining and writing about even the most seemingly insignificant theological disputes? How does Aquinas explain the nature of evil? Recommended Reading: Snell, RJ. . New York: Angelico Press, 2023.
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Medieval Literature II: Maimonides
The Pillars: Jerusalem, Athens, and the Western Mind
Maimonides arguably was the greatest philosopher of the twelfth century. Today, Rabbi Rocklin will help us unpack his legacy and address the following questions: Why was Maimonides’ codification of Jewish law so monumental? How did his system of codification diverge from the Talmud? How did Maimonides’ Guide to the Perplexed help push western philosophy forward? Why was The Guide to the Perplexed banned by some Jewish rabbis? Why was the ban ultimately lifted?
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Medieval Literature I: Islamic Thinkers
The Pillars: Jerusalem, Athens, and the Western Mind
The Medieval Islamic world was very advanced in its scholarship and studies, and in some instances surpassed the scholars of Europe. As we survey some of the greatest Islamic thinkers, we’ll address the following questions: When and how did the Islamic philosophical tradition begin? What made the world of Medieval Islam so conducive to the study of philosophy? Why is Averroes seen negatively within the Christian philosophical tradition?
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Jews in the Middle Ages: Intellectual Life, Religion, and Persecution
The Pillars: Jerusalem, Athens, and the Western Mind
Life as a Jew in the Middle Ages was difficult across both Christendom and Islamic lands. To help us unpack the topic, Rabbi Rocklin will address the following questions: How much truth is there to the notion that life for the Jews under Medieval Christendom was bleak? Why did distinctions between Sephardic and Ashkenazic traditions begin developing in this time? What fueled the many Jewish migrations across Europe? How does the Spanish Inquisition fit into the larger picture of persecution?
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The Classical Christian: Augustine's Life and Legacy
The Pillars: Jerusalem, Athens, and the Western Mind
When it came to establishing the doctrine of the Catholic Church, there are few quite as important and influential as Augustine. To explore the topic, Rabbi Rocklin will address the following questions: Why are Augustine’s reflections on his childhood considered monumental? According to Augustine, what is the best way for a Christian to protect his soul? How can the Christian achieve immortality? How does Augustine reimagine history distinct from Herodotus and Thucydides? Recommended Reading: Augustine of Hippo. . Translated by F.J. Sheed. Indiana: Hacket Publishing Company, 2006.
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Medieval Church History: Art, Religion, and Power
The Pillars: Jerusalem, Athens, and the Western Mind
The disasters of the fourteenth century triggered reactions that involved and impacted the highest levels of the Roman Catholic Church. As we work through the topic, we’ll explore the following questions: How did the populace of Europe respond to the disasters of the fourteenth century? Why did religious reformers begin springing up around this time? How did the Church react to them? What were the goals of Gothic architecture?
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Death and Dissent: Disasters, Revolts and Wars of the 14th Century
The Pillars: Jerusalem, Athens, and the Western Mind
The greatness of the thirteenth century will collapse into the disasters of the fourteenth. To explain the how and why of it, Rabbi Rocklin will answer the following questions: Why did the price and wage controls not help the economic chaos following the Black Death? Why were the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries known as the Age of Parliament? What sparked the Hundred Years’ War?
info_outlineThe tragic heroes of the classical era now give way to the new type of hero who will arise in Medieval literature. To help us explore this concept, we’ll unpack the following questions:
- What makes Beowulf so alluring that new generations of readers are regularly drawn to it?
- Why is The Song of Roland such an important part of the western tradition?
- How much does Medieval chivalry form the basis for romance?
Recommended Reading: Early Fiction in England: From Geoffrey of Monmouth to Chaucer. New York: Penguin Classics, 2015.