Early Christianity:
eschatological and millenial (NT Book of Revelations)
eschatology: study of the last days, the last things or the
end of time
millienium: thousand year reign of Christ on earth with his
saints, after
Battle of Armageddon between Christ & anti-Christ
Last Judgement as the major concern: Heaven or Hell
Christian Apocalypses
(texts describing how world will end):
Apocalypse of St. Paul, Greek Christian text, 3rd century, many
later versions
text
condemned as apocryphal, not included in canon of New Testament
two hells: upper and lower; upper hell gradually evolves into
Purgatory
damned souls in Hell beg Archangel Michael and St. Paul for
relief, or
refrigerium [refreshment]; ultimately, their
prayers are heard:
Christ grants damned weekend “respite” from torment, Sat eve
to Mon am
Medieval developments:
Issues: difficulty
of salvation: Matthew 22:14 “for many are called, but few are chosen. .”
St. Benedict 6th century: monasticism as the “narrow
path” to salvation
finality of damnation: hard to accept, desire for a “second chance”
early Christian tradition of prayers for the dead: prayers for
what?
Results:
gradual separation of places within Hell, “upper” vs “lower” Hell
Scriptural commentaries on purgatorial fire (exegesis of Paul I Cor
3:11-13)
Purgatory as interim place, suffering with time limits, exists
in time, not eternal
Evidence for Purgatory:
visions, dreams: souls return
to ask for prayers, help from the living
tales, stories: some political:
Charlemagne, King Arthur under Mt. Etna
Pope
Gregory the Great (d. 604) Dialogues
major source for stories about returned souls, prayers as
helpful
* Purgatory of St. Patrick, circa 1200, England
(Latin text, read by Dante)
Doctrine of Purgatory:
early 11th century: All Soul’s Day fixed on Nov. 2
1170-1200 term “Purgatory” as a place, noun first appears
1274 Second Council of Lyons, Purgatory declared official Church
doctrine
12th C: rise of the universities, Paris as center for theology
SCHOLASTICISM: the rational study of religion in the
urban universities of 12-l3th centuries
Peter Abelard (d. 1142) Sic et Non [Yes and No]
– rationalizing approach
13th C: translation of Aristotle into Latin
Aristotle as “the Philosopher”: logic, politics, scientific
writings
Thomas Aquinas (1224-1270) Summa Theologica
Summa = summary of all knowledge,
encyclopedic range
Scholasticism: reconciliation of
reason (Aristotle) +
revelation (Scripture)
nature +
grace
classical learning +
Christianity
Dante: Virgil
+ Beatrice
as scholastic thinker,
encyclopedic scope of Divine Comedy