Thomas Renna

Jerusalem in Medieval Thought, 400-1300 Thomas Renna

This text draws together ancient and medieval history, scripture, theology, monastic studies, and the history of ideas. It traces the concept of Jerusalem from the early church almost through the Middle Ages, in the monastic thought of Christian Latin writings from the time of Constantine through and beyond the 12th century. It recognizes that certain concerns within the church (such as anti-Jewish polemic) led the early fathers to devalue the physical Jerusalem and stress the role of Jerusalem as a symbol of heavenly bliss. It gives attention to the changes necessitated by the Germanic invasions, with their consequent political disruptions, as well as the eventual conversion of the Germanic tribes.