At the beginning of the twelfth century western Christendom had a new optimism: a commercial and urban boom, new religious orders, new church buildings, the codification of religious law, a flourishing of religious art, a movement to 'recover' the Holy Land.

 

From 1250-1500 war, plague, and religious dissent had a profound impact on European life. This module offers a thematic survey of religious practices and the impact of religion on society in medieval Western Europe, where everyday life was carried on to a soundtrack of church bells and sermons, but where the culture allowed for a surprising amount of diversity of belief and practice as well. Lectures and tutorials focus on the practice and impact of religion in medieval society, on social structures (such as family and community) and relations with other cultures.