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Bird of Many Plumes: Conceptions and Applications of Authority in the Thought of William of Saint–Thierry
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Delphine Conzelmann unpacks the rich interplay of authority, tradition, and innovation in the works of William of Saint–Thierry, Benedictine abbott and Cistercian monk, whose contributions to Christian history were long overshadowed by those of his contemporaries.
The volume seeks to reconcile seemingly contradictory aspects of this distinctive 12th–century biography, revealing what intention unites his stark criticism of new dialectic methods, his enthusiastic embrace of monastic reform, and his quest for reclusion. Discover the spiritual depth and doctrinal genius of William of Saint–Thierry in this comprehensive study.
The volume seeks to reconcile seemingly contradictory aspects of this distinctive 12th–century biography, revealing what intention unites his stark criticism of new dialectic methods, his enthusiastic embrace of monastic reform, and his quest for reclusion. Discover the spiritual depth and doctrinal genius of William of Saint–Thierry in this comprehensive study.
Delphine Conzelmann, Dr. theol (2022), University of Basel, is an independent theologian and church historian, as well as a journalist in Switzerland.
Contents
Acknowledgements
Introduction
1 William’s Life and Work
2 State of Research
3 Main Question, Structure, and Methodology
Part 1
William’s Engagement with School Theology
Introduction to Part 1
1 The Use of Authority in William’s Lectio Divina of Romans
1 Exegesis of Romans in the Context of 12th-Century Education
2 Scripture in the 12th Century
3 The Monastic Practice of Lectio
4 William’s Self-Representation in the Praefatio
5 Reading (alongside) the Fathers
6 Reading as a Communal Endeavor
7 Humilitas and the Ideal Reader
8 Interim Conclusion
2 Authority as a Tool and Topic in William’s Conflicts
1 Reading Romans from Two Perspectives
2 Abelard’s Early Critics
3 Orthodoxy and Authority in William’s Disputatio
4 Bernard’s Involvement and the Council of Sens
Conclusion to Part 1
Part 2
Mapping William’s Exegetical Process: Receptivity and Originality in His Reading of the Song of Songs
Introduction to Part 2
3 Bernard, William’s Guide through the Song
1 Emerging from His Shadow: The Problem with Bernard
2 Living the Song. Spiritual Friendship as a Foundation of Cistercian Exegesis
3 The Brevis Commentatio
4 William’s Florilegia of Ambrose and Gregory
1 The Early Medieval Tradition of Anthologies
2 William’s Florilegia and Their Role in His Literary Corpus
2.1 Reading between the Lines: Ambrose as a Moral Authority
2.2 Restoring Gregory’s Voice
5 William’s Own Expositio and Its Original Contribution
1 Origen as an (Il)legitimate Source
2 The Different Senses of Scripture
3 ‘Know Thyself’. William’s Spiritual Anthropology and His Understanding of Image-Likeness
4 Love. An Intellectual Principle
5 The Breasts of God: William’s Sensual Spirituality
Conclusion to Part 2
Part 3
William’s Vision for Life in the Monastic Community
Introduction to Part 3
6 The Golden Epistle in the Context of Reform
1 A History of Misattribution
2 Two Perspectives on Reform
3 William as an Author for the Carthusian Movement
7 William’s Monastic Ideal
1 Innovation, Restoration, or Renewal?
2 The Monastic Life as Christian Ideal
3 Horizontal Authority and Loving Obedience
4 Concepts Applied: The Monk’s Image-Likeness
Conclusion to Part 3
Through the Lens of Prayer. Concluding Thoughts
Meditatio ii. The Possibility of Acquiring Knowledge of God
Meditatio iii. The Sensus Amoris
Meditatio vii. The Communal Authority of the Saints
Intertwining the Threads
Bibliography
Index
Acknowledgements
Introduction
1 William’s Life and Work
2 State of Research
3 Main Question, Structure, and Methodology
Part 1
William’s Engagement with School Theology
Introduction to Part 1
1 The Use of Authority in William’s Lectio Divina of Romans
1 Exegesis of Romans in the Context of 12th-Century Education
2 Scripture in the 12th Century
3 The Monastic Practice of Lectio
4 William’s Self-Representation in the Praefatio
5 Reading (alongside) the Fathers
6 Reading as a Communal Endeavor
7 Humilitas and the Ideal Reader
8 Interim Conclusion
2 Authority as a Tool and Topic in William’s Conflicts
1 Reading Romans from Two Perspectives
2 Abelard’s Early Critics
3 Orthodoxy and Authority in William’s Disputatio
4 Bernard’s Involvement and the Council of Sens
Conclusion to Part 1
Part 2
Mapping William’s Exegetical Process: Receptivity and Originality in His Reading of the Song of Songs
Introduction to Part 2
3 Bernard, William’s Guide through the Song
1 Emerging from His Shadow: The Problem with Bernard
2 Living the Song. Spiritual Friendship as a Foundation of Cistercian Exegesis
3 The Brevis Commentatio
4 William’s Florilegia of Ambrose and Gregory
1 The Early Medieval Tradition of Anthologies
2 William’s Florilegia and Their Role in His Literary Corpus
2.1 Reading between the Lines: Ambrose as a Moral Authority
2.2 Restoring Gregory’s Voice
5 William’s Own Expositio and Its Original Contribution
1 Origen as an (Il)legitimate Source
2 The Different Senses of Scripture
3 ‘Know Thyself’. William’s Spiritual Anthropology and His Understanding of Image-Likeness
4 Love. An Intellectual Principle
5 The Breasts of God: William’s Sensual Spirituality
Conclusion to Part 2
Part 3
William’s Vision for Life in the Monastic Community
Introduction to Part 3
6 The Golden Epistle in the Context of Reform
1 A History of Misattribution
2 Two Perspectives on Reform
3 William as an Author for the Carthusian Movement
7 William’s Monastic Ideal
1 Innovation, Restoration, or Renewal?
2 The Monastic Life as Christian Ideal
3 Horizontal Authority and Loving Obedience
4 Concepts Applied: The Monk’s Image-Likeness
Conclusion to Part 3
Through the Lens of Prayer. Concluding Thoughts
Meditatio ii. The Possibility of Acquiring Knowledge of God
Meditatio iii. The Sensus Amoris
Meditatio vii. The Communal Authority of the Saints
Intertwining the Threads
Bibliography
Index
The book is primarily intended for scholars and post-graduate students interested in the spiritual and doctrinal history of Medieval Christianity. Knowledge of Latin is not required.