Christian Materiality

By Caroline Walker Bynum

Book Description

Between 1150 and 1550, Western Christianity witnessed extraordinary phenomena that challenged believers' understanding of the sacred and material worlds. Paintings wept, statues bled, relics moved on their own, and ordinary objects like stones and pieces of wood seemed to come alive with divine presence. These miraculous events created a profound tension within Christian communities, simultaneously drawing believers toward deeper encounters with sacred matter while inspiring others to embrace a more inward spirituality that rejected physical devotional objects.

Caroline Walker Bynum explores this fascinating period when miraculous materials stood at the very center of religious life and heated debate. She examines not only the miracles themselves but also the complex challenges they presented to church leaders and everyday believers trying to navigate their faith. The author delves into the fundamental assumptions about matter and spirituality that shaped medieval understanding, revealing how these beliefs influenced both the creation of religious art and the fierce opposition it sometimes provoked.

This scholarly investigation illuminates how fourteenth and fifteenth-century Christians grappled with a paradoxical relationship to the natural world, seeing it as both glorious and threatening. Bynum's analysis extends beyond traditional studies of the body to examine how changing concepts of matter itself shaped Western attitudes toward spirituality and human experience. Her work offers fresh insights into the complex religious landscape that preceded the major reformations of the sixteenth century, providing readers with a deeper understanding of how material objects can serve as bridges between the physical and spiritual realms.

Who Is This For?

📖 Reading Level: Long (> 400 pages) (~12 hours)

📄 Length: 416 pages

What You'll Discover

✓ Explore Reliquienkult
✓ Explore Matter
✓ Explore Bilderverehrung
✓ Explore Middle Ages
✓ Explore Church history
✓ Explore Wunder
✓ Explore Historia
✓ Explore Matter--religious aspects--christianity--history of doctrines

Topics Covered

Reliquienkult Matter Bilderverehrung Middle Ages Church history Wunder Historia Matter--religious aspects--christianity--history of doctrines 231.7/309409024 History of doctrines Matter--religious aspects--christianity--history of doctrines--middle ages, 600-1500 Church history--middle ages, 600-1500 Christentum Religious articles Religiösa aspekter Church history, middle ages, 600-1500 Volksglaube Religious articles--europe--history of doctrines--middle ages, 600-1500 Christianity Br270.b96 2011 Föremål Religious articles--history of doctrines Miracles Europe, social life and customs Religious life and customs Heiliger Gegenstand Miracles--history of doctrines Sachkultur Kyrkohistoria Christliche Kunst Mirakel Miracles--europe--history of doctrines--middle ages, 600-1500 Religious aspects Brauchtum Religion Religiöst liv Matter--religious aspects