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Pastoral Eschatological Exegesis in Burchard of Worms' Decretum

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Pastoral Eschatological Exegesis in Burchard of Worms' Decretum Pastoral Eschatological Exegesis in Burchard of Worms’ Decretum. A thesis submitted by George David Capability House to the University of Exeter for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in History, 20th October 2014. This thesis is available for Library use on the understanding that it is copyright material and that no quotation from the thesis may be published without proper acknowledgement. I certify that all material in this thesis which is not my own work has been identified and that no material has previously been submitted and approved for the award of a degree by this or any other University. (Signature)……………………………………………………………………………… 1 Abstract This thesis examines the relationship between Western eschatological traditions and Bishop Burchard of Worm’s extended exegesis on the subject of ‘speculative theology’ within Decretum, Liber Vicesimus (c. 1012-1025). Its purpose is to explore the influence of eschatological theology upon the composition of canon law and its relationship with the administration of pastoral care in the early eleventh century. This will be achieved by investigating the authorities Burchard employed, and the unique ways in which he structured his interpretation of the subject. Chapter one reviews the scholarship on early medieval eschatological exegesis, canon law, and penance, alongside that on Burchard of Worms. Chapter two provides an overview of the history of early medieval western eschatological exegesis (c. 33-1050) and the general conditions that contemporary ecclesiastics would have experienced in relation to the study and construction of eschatological texts. Chapter three considers the historical context for the composition of the Decretum and the manuscript traditions of the Liber Vicesimus. Chapters four, five, and six, extensively analyse the structures and contents of the Liber Vicesimus: Burchard and his team of compilers are shown to have drawn extensively and developed their interpretation of eschatology from Gregory the Greats’ exegetical works, as well as identifying other unique influences. Consequently the thesis demonstrates how Gregory’s exegetical works played a central role in building the textual foundations which shaped the theological parameters governing the eschatological thoughts, beliefs, and writings, of many ecclesiastics during this period. The thesis concludes that Gregory’s work provided churchmen with an authoritative moral framework and rhetoric for the discussion of eschatological phenomena that could be utilised in a variety of ways. It also suggests new ways in 2 which historians should interpret the written traditions that shaped the structure and content of orthodox eschatological texts in this period. 3 Table of Contents Acknowledgements 10-11 List of Plates 12 List of Tables 12-13 Abbreviations and Conventions 14-16 Definitions 17-18 Chapter 1.0: Introduction: The Context and Focus of the Thesis 19 1.1 Introduction to the Thesis 19 Part I: An Introduction to Burchard and the Decretum: Considering its 20 Historical Role and Significance 1.2 Burchard and the Decretum 20 1.3 The Value of Burchard’s Decretum in Relation to the Development 21 of Canon Law Part II: The Factors that Give Impetus to this Thesis and How 25 they Relate to One Another 1.4 The Role of the Decretum in Recent Work on Penance 25 1.5 The Significance of Liber Vicesimus in Relation to the Study 28 of Early Medieval Eschatological Theology 1.6 Interpretations of the Decretum’s Role in Current Studies on 30 Eschatological Exegesis 1.7.0 Research Aims and Agenda 36 1.7.1 Key Aims, Questions, and Relevant Issues of Interest to Address 36 1.7.2 Thesis Agenda 41 4 Part III: A Short Review of the Historiography of Early Medieval 47 Eschatological Exegesis 1.8.0 Present Scholarship, Methodologies, and New Approaches 47 1.8.1 Notable and Recent Reviews of Scholarship 47 1.8.2 Initial Approaches of the ‘Weak Thesis’ 50 1.8.3 Criticisms, Responses, and Alternative Proposals 58 1.8.4 The Reintegration of Gregorian Exegesis 76 Chapter 2.0: The History and Interpretation of Eschatological Exegesis: 79 Intellectual Traditions and Educational Practices, c. 33-1050AD Part I: Eschatological Exegesis c. 33-1050AD: Key Authors, Texts, 79 and Theological Outlooks 2.1.0 Exegetical History (c. 33-1050AD) 80 2.1.1 A Summary of Core New Testament Eschatological Theology 80 2.1.1.1 Synoptic Theology 80 2.1.1.2 Apostolic Eschatology 83 2.1.2 A Brief History of Western Eschatological Exegesis (c. 100-950AD) 87 2.1.2.1 Post- Apostolic Eschatology in the Early Church Period 88 (c. 100-367AD) 2.1.2.2 High Patristic Era Eschatology (c. 367-430AD) 92 2.1.2.2.1 Augustine’s Influence and Authority 96 2.1.2.2.2 Parallel Alternative Perspectives 100 2.1.2.3 Late Patristic, Late Antique Eschatological Exegesis 102 (c. 430-750AD) 2.1.2.3.1 Late Antique Eschatological Commentaries 104 2.1.2.3.2 Late Antique Patristic Eschatological Exegesis 108 2.1.2.3.3 Gregory’s Influence and Authority 112 2.1.2.3.4 Late Antique Eschatological Exegesis 113 2.1.2.4 Early Medieval Eschatological Exegesis (c. 750-950AD) 114 2.1.2.5 Summation of Early Medieval Eschatological Exegesis 117 2.1.3 Late-Tenth- and Early-Eleventh Century Exegetical Texts 118 (c. 950-1050 AD) Part II: Intellectual Traditions and Educational Practices 121 2.2.0 The Study and Composition of Eschatological Text during the 121 Early Medieval Period 2.2.1 The General Conditions for the Composition, Dissemination, and 121 Transmission, of Early Medieval Text 5 2.2.1.1 Focus of Analysis 122 2.2.2 The Eschatological Exegeses and Discourses Generally Available 123 to Most Western Ecclesiastics 2.2.2.1 The Range and Variety of the Eschatological Materials 123 Inherited by Early Medieval Ecclesiastics 2.2.2.2 The Availability of Biblical Materials 124 2.2.2.3 Case example: Rev. 125 2.2.2.4 The Availability of Exegetical and Ecclesiastic 127 Eschatological Materials 2.2.2.5 Establishing a Patristic Exegetical Basis 128 2.2.2.6 Educational Guides to the Study of Exegetical Texts that 130 Treat the Subject of Eschatological Theology 2.2.2.7 The Presence of Augustine and Gregory’s Exegetical Works 131 2.2.2.8 The Presence of Bede’s Exegetical Works 133 2.2.2.9 The Core Exegetical Texts 135 2.2.3 Reading Religious Authority and Memory 135 2.2.4 Literary Style 138 Part III: Conclusions 141 2.3.0 Preliminary Conclusions 141 Chapter 3: The History and Context in which the Decretum was 143 Composed 3.1.0 A Biography of Burchard 143 3.1.1 Introduction to Biography 143 3.1.2 Primary Sources 144 3.1.2.1 Vita Burchardi episcopi 145 3.1.2.2 Decretum 146 3.1.2.3 Lex Familiae Wormatiensis 148 3.1.2.4 Libellus de studio poetae qui et scolasticus 149 3.1.2.5 De diversitate temporum 149 3.1.3 Burchard’s Early Life 150 3.1.4 Burchard’s Education 152 3.1.4.1 Historical Context for Burchard’s Education 152 3.1.4.2 Reconstructing the Sources Burchard Studied in his Early 153 Career 3.1.4.2.1 Reconstructing Burchard’s Education from Liber 154 Vicesimus 3.1.4.2.2. The Role that Liber Vicesimus’ Formal 157 Authorities Played within Contemporary Education 3.1.4.2.3 Contemporary Accounts of Burchard’s Education 162 as Evidence for his Encounters with Fundamental Eschatological Authorities 6 3.1.4.2.4 The Influence of Secular Textual Sources of 166 Burchard’s Education 3.1.4.2.5 Surmising Burchard’s Education and Influences 168 3.1.5 Burchard’s Adult Career 169 3.1.5.1 Early Ministry, Politics, and Violence at Worms 169 3.1.5.1.1 Burchard’s Time at St Victor 169 3.1.5.1.2 Secular Politics at Worms 171 3.1.5.2 Ecclesiastical Reforms as the Bishop of Worms and 176 Composing the Decretum 3.1.5.2.1 Physically Reconstructing the Ecclesiastical 176 Institutions of Worms 3.1.5.2.2 Regulating Ecclesiastical Life in Worms 178 3.1.5.2.3 Educating the Ecclesiastics of Worms 179 3.1.6 Evaluation 181 3.2.0 The Manuscript Traditions and Recent Editions of Burchard’s 183 Decretum 3.2.1 Summary and Objectives of Section 183 3.2.2 Dating the Decretum 184 3.2.3 Extant Manuscripts and their Distributions 185 3.2.4 Examination of MS V and MS F 190 3.2.4.1 General Stages of Composition of MS V and MS F 190 3.2.4.2 The Initial Stages of Production of MS V 192 3.2.4.3 The Continual Revisions of MS V and MS F 196 3.2.5 The Authorship of the Decretum: Compilers or Complier? 198 3.2.6 Was Liber Vicesimus a Later Addition to an Already Planned 200 Twenty Book Volume or a Last Minute Inclusion to a Nineteen Book Volume? What are the Implications of the Answer to This? 3.2.7 Modern Editions of Burchard’s Decretum 202 3.3 A Working Interpretation of the Environment in which Liber 205 Vicesimus was Composed and the Apparent Problems that Arise from it Chapter 4.0: The Context for the Analysis of Liber Vicesimus 209 4.1 Introduction to the Analysis of Liber Vicesimus 209 4.2.0 Approaches to the Analysis of Liber Vicesimus 210 4.2.1 Analytical Approach towards Liber Vicesimus 210 4.2.2 The Limitations of my Analysis of Liber Vicesimus 211 4.3.0 The General Presentation of Liber Vicesimus 212 4.3.1 Layout and Presentation of Liber Vicesimus 212 4.3.2 Canonical Sources of Liber Vicesimus 219 7 4.3.2.1 Purpose for Examining the Sources of Liber Vicesimus 219 4.3.2.2 Formal Sources of Liber Vicesimus 220 4.3.2.3 Intended sources of Liber Vicesimus 221 4.3.3 Structure and Arrangement of Liber Vicesimus 229 4.4.0 Overview of the Thematic Structure of Liber Vicesimus 239 4.4.1 The Argument: the Definitions of its Terms 240 4.4.2 The Argument: Defining ‘Speculative theology’ 243 4.4.2.1 The Applicability of High Medieval and Modern Definitions
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