Loyola University Chicago

Medieval Studies

Spring 2024 Courses

ENGL 321: Introduction to Old English

Instructor: Dr. Cornelius

TuTh, 4:15-5:30 PM LSC

 

In this course we learn to read English from more than 1000 years ago. English has changed so much since this early period that speakers of Present Day English (PDE) must approach Old English as if it were foreign, by learning grammar and vocabulary and even some new letters. Yet the languages remain close enough that speakers of PDE learn Old English quickly. Learning to read Old English gives a fresh perspective on PDE (for instance, why ran and feet, not runned and foots?) and unique access to a rich body of literature: about 30,000 lines of English poetry survive from the period between 600 and 1200 and more than ten times as much prose (including sermons, historical narratives and chronicles, Bible translations, philosophy, and medical writings).
 
In the first half of this course we learn the basic grammar of Old English and some core vocabulary and learn to translate short texts. In the second half, we sample the diversity of literature in Old English: readings become longer and more challenging and class discussion becomes more interpretative. Secondary readings introduce us to the history and culture of early medieval England and contextualize our study of language. In the last two weeks we read Beowulf in Seamus Heaney’s translation, with dips into the original Old English. Assessment is by quizzes, midterm and final exams, and a class presentation.

 

 

HIST 209: Survey of Islamic History

Instructor: Dr. Shook

MWF, 10:25-11:15 AM WTC

Requirement: HIST 101, HIST 102, HIST 103, or HIST 104 for students admitted to Loyola University for Fall 2012 or later. No requirement for students with a declared major or minor in History.

The course will introduce the historical development of Islamic civilization and the formation of Muslim social and political institutions from the 7th century to the present.

Outcomes: Students will be able to demonstrate knowledge of the historical development and diversity of Islamic beliefs, practices, and institutions in varied regional contexts and historical periods.

 

 

THEO 281: Christianity Through Time

Instructor: Dr. Brower

MWF, 11:30-12:20 PM

 

Prerequisite: THEO 100 or THEO 107.

The course is a survey course in the history of Christian thought. Not a course in Church history, this is a course whose primary goal is to investigate the major interactions between Christian thought and practice and the cultures that it has been a part of in its two thousand year history.

Outcomes: Students will learn to analyze and interpret religious texts, beliefs and practices using standard scholarly methods and tools.

THEO 317: Christian Thought: Ancient-Medieval

Instructor: Dr. Witherington

TuTh, 8:30-9:45AM

In this course we will examine a selection of theological issues, topics, and debates which characterized Christian Theology from the Patristic through the Medieval Period. This course is designed neither as a primer in Christian doctrine, nor as a historical survey of the Church, but is rather intended as an engaged, critical, and experiential attempt to enter into the thought world of Ancient and Medieval Christianity. In order to do this, the course will be focused on an examination of particular spiritual practices ¿ including prayer, asceticism, monastic life, pilgrimage, liturgy, sacraments, etc. ¿ which are seen as embodying and growing out of the theological assumptions, worldviews, and debates of the periods in which they are embedded. In the course of our survey, we will selectively encounter a variety of authors including Perpetua, Athanasius, Augustine of Hippo, Gregory of Nyssa, Basil of Caesarea, John Chrysostom, Gregory the Great, Hildegard of Bingen, Hadewijch of Brabant, Bonaventure, Thomas Aquinas, and Benedict of Nursia. At the conclusion of the course, students will be able to not only describe these periods¿ major topics and themes, but also be able to understand how these topics and themes emerged out of and gave continual expression to concrete spiritual practices (lex orandi, lex credendi: the law of prayer is the law of belief).

LATN 102: Latin II

Instructor: Dr. Graham-Skoul

MWF 2:45-3:35 PM

Prerequisite: LATN 101.
This course continues the study of the fundamentals of the Latin language, including more vocabulary, grammar, syntax and more advanced readings.  (Latin I or its equivalent is a prerequisite for this course.)

Outcomes:  students should be able to demonstrate advanced knowledge of basic Latin vocabulary, syntax and grammar and deploy it to be able to translate accurately more advanced Latin sentences and passages into English.