Description
Book SynopsisThe Medieval Devil is a unique collection of primary sources that examines the development of medieval society through the lens of how people perceived the devil. In exploring where and how Europeans discerned his presence, detected his machinations, and sought to counter his actions, readers will be afforded a new and important point of entry into medieval history.
Each chapter begins with an introduction to familiarize readers with critical issues and to contextualize the primary sources against broader developments of the period. Questions for discussion and reflection, twelve black-and-white illustrations, and a short bibliography are included.
Trade Review“This certainly seems to be a book that might entice one to develop a new course.” -- Eileen Gardiner, University of Bristol *
Medieval Sermon Studies *
Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Preface Chapter One: Sources for the Medieval Devil 1. The Serpent and the Fall of Humanity 2. The Sons of God and the Giants 3. Satan as God’s Agent 4. The Fall of Lucifer? 5. God as the Creator of Evil? 6. Satan as Spy and Tester 7. The Demons of Ancient Greece 8. Rabbinical Teachings on the Devil 9. Satan Reappears 10. The Homicidal Liar 11. Fall of Lucifer Revisited Chapter Two: Development of a Narrative 12. The Subversion of Humanity 13. Mastêmâ the Devil? 14. Interrogating Genesis 15. Eve’s Perspective of Humanity’s Fall 16. Gnostic Dualism 17. Did God Create Evil? 18. A Worldly Prince as the Devil? 19. Devil as Kidnapper 20. Sympathy for the Devil 21. A Perverse Power, Hostile to Truth 22. A Proto-Demonology? Chapter Three: Forging a Community 23. The Problem of Idols 24. The Betrayal and Trial of Jesus 25. The Susceptibility of Women to the Devil 26. The Death of the Old Religion 27. The Problem of Magic 28. Survival of the Old Religion 29. Alexander Encounters Gog and Magog 30. Dealing with Unorthodox Views 31. Policing Practice 32. The Possibility of Demonic Night Flight? 33. A Sorceress and Her Demons Chapter Four: The Early Monastic Devil 34. A “Proto-Monk” is Assaulted by Demons in the Wilderness 35. Saint Martin of Tours Fights the Devil 36. Why Can Demons Do Such Great Things? 37. Bishop Narcissus Sees a Horrible Demon 38. Stable Hands Pray to the Devil 39. Demonic Stratagems in the Carolingian World 40. The Monastery as a Fortress against the Devil 41. Besieged by Demons Chapter Five: The Devil and Feudal Society 42. The Demonic Pact of St Cyprian 43. The Pope Makes a Pact with the Devil 44. The Man of Sin 45. Demonic Vassalage 46. The Devil as Feudal Lord 47. The Life of Antichrist 48. The Devil’s Churchmen 49. Trial by Landscape Chapter Six: The Devil’s Domain 50. The Development of Hell 51. The Harrowing of Hell 52. The Geography of Hell 53. An Anglo-Saxon Monk Recounts a Vision of Hell 54. Hell at Sea 55. A Maiden Views Hell 56. An Urban Hell 57. Dante’s Vision of the Structure of Hell Chapter Seven: Varieties of Possession and Exorcism 58. Biblical Possessions 59. Exorcisms by the Disciples 60. Two Early Forms of Exorcism 61. Dispossession by Person 62. Dispossession by Objects 63. Baptism 64. Formalizing Dispossession 65. Protection and Charms against Demonic Incursions 66. Breaking the Devil’s Hold 67. Divine Possession, Gender, and Politics Chapter Eight: Demonizations 68. The Origins of Islam 69. A Scholar Explains Islam 70. Clerical Sodomy 71. The Blood Libel 72. Diabolized History 73. Devil-Worshipping Heretics? 74. Rooting Out Heresy 75. Hordes from the East 76. Satan’s Knights? 77. A Panorama of Pain Chapter Nine: Theorizing the Devil and Society in the High Middle Ages 78. The Devil as Nullity 79. A Scholastic Theologian Wrestles with Demonic Bodies 80. The Devil Makes His Case 81. Contemplating the Devil’s Place in Nature 82. A Preacher’s Stories about the Devil 83. Demons in Monastic Training Manuals 84. Various Exempla Demons from the British Isles 85. An Anonymous Preacher Allegorizes Hell Chapter Ten: Experiencing the Devil in Word and Image 86. The Miracle of Theophilus 87. An Alternative Creation Story 88. Demonic Horseplay 89. Antichrist Takes the Stage 90. Images of the Devil Chapter Eleven: Towards the Early Modern Age 91. Working with Demons 92. Magic, Demons, and Heresy 93. The Church of Antichrist 94. The Problem of Satan as an “Angel of Light” 95. Interrogators’ Views of Joan of Arc 96. The Synagogue of Satan 97. Merging Traditions 98. Toward the Witch Hunts Bibliography Index
