Unit information: From Hell to Heaven: the Bible and spirituality in 2017/18

Unit name	From Hell to Heaven: the Bible and spirituality
Unit code	THRSM0129
Credit points	20
Level of study	M/7
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24)
Unit director	Mr. Ferzoco
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	None
Co-requisites	None
School/department	Department of Religion and Theology
Faculty	Faculty of Arts

Description including Unit Aims

This unit will examine the religious culture of Italy from c. 500 to 1500, with emphasis on the later medieval period. Lectures (along with assigned readings) will examine a variety of sources for what they reveal about: models of behaviour; private and public morality; religious practice; and conceptions of the afterlife. Sources will be textual (e.g., lives of saints such as Francis of Assisi) and visual (e.g. Sienese art). These lectures will serve as the first hour of the unit’s weekly meetings, introducing themes and debates which will be the focus of small-group discussion and seminars in the second hour; here, students will discuss issues among themselves before sharing their conclusions with the rest of the class at the end of the meeting.

Aims:

• To provide an understanding of the religious culture of medieval Italy

• To provide an understanding of the role of religion within medieval culture

• To develop written presentation and argumentation skills through essays, group work and seminar presentations

Intended Learning Outcomes

By the end of the unit students will be expected to have:

1. acquired knowledge and skill to discuss significant aspects of Italian medieval spirituality;
2. acquired knowledge and skill to discuss the role of religion within medieval culture;
3. acquired skills through group work, seminar presentations and through an assessed essay in presenting, analyzing and evaluating complex ideas and arguments in both written and oral forms.

Additionally (specific to level M), students will be expected to:

4. display high level skills in evaluating, analysing, synthesising and (where apt) critiquing images and ideas

5. apply existing analytical strategies to new evidence with flexibility and creativity

6. demonstrate the capacity for independent research

Teaching Information

Seminars - 3 hours per week

Assessment Information

One summative essay of 5000 words [ILOs 1-6]

Reading and References

• D. Webb, Saints and Cities in Medieval Italy (Manchester, 2006)

• Francis and Clare of Assisi: The Complete Works (London, 1982)

• J. Larner, Italy in the Age of Dante and Petrarch, 1216-1380 (London, 1980)

• K Jansen et al. (ed.), Medieval Italy. Texts in Translation (Philadelphia, 2009)

• F. Petrarch, The Portable Petrarch (ed. M. Musa) (London, 2007).

• A. Thompson, Cities of God: The Religion of the Italian Communes, 1125-1325 (University Park, 2005)