Lectio divina
Subtitle: the medieval experience of reading
By: by Duncan Robertson
Series: Cistercian studies series -- no. 238; Cistercian studies series -- no. 238.
Publisher: Cistercian Publications; Liturgical Press
Published: 2011
Place of publication: Trappist, Ky; Collegeville, Minn
Language: eng
Number of pages: 247
ISBN-13: 9780879072384; 9780879072049
Subjects: Books and reading; History; Bible; Devotional use; Reading; Meditation; Christianity
Description: During the Middle Ages the act of reading was experienced intensively in the monastic exercise of lectio divina--the prayerful scrutiny of passages of Scripture, "savored" in meditation, memorized, recited, and rediscovered in the reader's own religious life. The rich literary tradition that arose from this culture includes theoretical writings from the Conferences of John Cassian (fifth century) through the twelfth-century treatises of Hugh of St. Victor and the Carthusian Guigo II; it also includes compilations, literary meditations, and scriptural commentary, notably on the Song of Songs. This study brings medievalist research together with modern theoretical reflections on the act of reading in a consolidation of historical scholarship, spirituality, and literary criticism. --Publisher description.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (p. 234-242) and index.
Table of contents: title: Preface. Lectio divinia ; In the monastery ; Reading and exegesis ; Reading beyond reading; title: Chapter I : Scholarly contexts : ressourcement and research. Ressourcement ; Jean Leclercq ; Henri de Lubac ; Research and practice ; Implications for literary theory; title: Chapter II : The interpretation of the Scriptures. Letter and spirit ; Origen's On first principles ; Saint Augustine ; Saint Gregory the Great; title: Chapter III : Reading and meditation. Classical education ; The conversion of reading ; Cassian's Conferences ; Reading in the monastery; title: Chapter IV : Reading into writing. Chapters on reading ; Liturgy and private prayer ; Carolingian Libelli precum; title: Chapter V : The extension of meditation. John of Fécamp's Confessio theologica ; Saint Anselm of Canterbury's Orationes sive meditationes; title: Chapter VI : Reading the Song of songs. Origen's Commentary on the Song of songs ; Origen's Homilies on the Song of songs ; Gregory's Exposition on the Song of songs ; Bernard of Clairvaux's Sermons on the Song of songs ; Bernard's reading project ; Allegorical analysis ; The voice of the bride; title: Chapter VII : The twelfth-century integration. Meditatio and Meditationes ; Hugh of Saint-Victor ; Guigo II; title: Chapter VIII : The book of experience.