Exegese Monastique au Moyen Age (Xie-Xive Siecle)

By A. Noblesse-Rocher

Book Description

This scholarly exploration delves into the rich tradition of biblical interpretation practiced by Christian monks from the eleventh through fourteenth centuries. Drawing from a vast collection of monastic commentaries, many previously unexplored, the work reveals how medieval monks approached sacred texts with a distinctive blend of literary sensitivity and profound spirituality.

While familiar figures like Bernard of Clairvaux and Rupert of Deutz receive attention, the book illuminates lesser-known voices such as Hervé of Bourg-Dieu, William of Flay, and Gilbert of Stanford. These monastic interpreters developed their own unique approach to understanding scripture, one that differed markedly from the emerging academic methods of medieval schools and universities.

The monastic tradition emphasized personal appropriation of biblical texts, particularly those of the Old Testament, seeking contemporary relevance and maintaining a holistic perspective that connected worldly experience with sacred wisdom. Rather than purely intellectual analysis, these monks pursued interpretation as a spiritual practice, integrating contemplation with scholarly inquiry.

The volume examines not only the textual traditions but also the material culture surrounding monastic biblical study, including the iconography and physical characteristics of medieval monastic Bibles. Through careful analysis of these diverse sources, readers discover how monastic communities created a distinctive hermeneutical approach that served both scholarly understanding and spiritual formation.

This comprehensive study opens new pathways for understanding how contemplative communities have historically engaged with sacred texts as living documents for transformation.