Convivium: Hans-Jochen Schiewer, Preaching as Literature: (Mendicant) 'Popularisation' of Theology and the Bible around 1300

Hosted by Markus Stock, the Centre for Medieval Studies welcomes Hans-Jochen Schiewer of Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg on Preaching as Literature: (Mendicant) ‘Popularization’ of Theology and the Bible around 1300. Please join us in person or virtually via Zoom. 

REGISTRATION REQUIRED

Abstract

In the course of the 13^th century, literature by laypeople for laypeople increasingly took on the task of transferring knowledge to the laity, even where the church claimed a monopoly on preaching: This applies in particular to the field of German gnomic poets (Sangspruchdichter). I will discuss the competition, entanglements and interferences between the lay and clerical spheres using three examples: (1) gnomic poetry (Sangspruchdichtung) and mendicant preaching, (2) Konrad von Würzburg among the Dominicans, and (3) secular and religious experiences of love around 1300.