March 4, 2010

"Duty or Delight: Labor and Prayer in the Middle Ages"

The Meeter Center's Spring Lecture given by Dr. John Van Engen of the University of Notre Dame

In the mid-twentieth century several distinguished historians argued that the origins of the western world’s technological progress should be located in the culture of a Christian world-view, specifically Benedictine monasticism. And within Christian communities, both Catholic and Calvinist, from the nineteenth century it was commonly taught that prayer and work, ora et labora, should define a basic stance toward a life well-lived. In the meantime historians have disputed historical claims about the status of work and prayer in the middle ages, and cultural critics have questioned the salutary impact in the modern era of inherited “Christian” attitudes toward nature and the environment. This paper re-examines some of the evidence about work and prayer in the Middle Ages, focusing on selected instances from the times of the early monks down to the end of the twelfth century. It considers both religious teachings and social practices, and examines their intersections as well as their inherent tensions.

The lecture will take place in the Meeter Center Lecture Hall off the Hekman Library Lobby at 3:30 PM on March 4, 2010. All are welcome and refreshments will be served.