REL 375 Augustine and the “Dark Ages”
This course will explore the development of Augustine’s thought in its historical context and its immediate impact in the middle ages and beyond. Through reading Augustine’s works with a keen eye towards philosophical influences, political and social movements, biblical interpretation, and major controversies a broader understanding of the impact of Augustinian thought can be understood. Augustine is sometimes credited with creating the “Dark Ages,” an antiquated and erroneous term. However, by exploring the writings and history of late antiquity, students can realize how his writings contributed to attitudes about sex, gender, Judaism, Islam, violence, aggression, and greed. The goal is also to realize how these attitudes towards sex, gender, other religions, and violence are realized today. Aiding our examination is not just textual history but material culture including art history. Monuments, paintings, and buildings are all under discussion as they contribute to the understanding of the “Dark Ages.”