Religious Studies 376
THE VIRGIN MARY IN HISTORY, ART AND CULTURE
Spring 2010
Screenings: Local Video Store or Public/ASU Library Professor: Dr. Aurelio Espinosa
Lectures: Office Phone: 480-727-8744
Discussion: Check Virtual Classroom Office Location: ECA 322
Email Address:
Course Goal and Objectives
The goal of this course is to introduce students to the development of Marian beliefs, devotions, practices, and representations. Students will acquire knowledge about the genesis, changes, and continuities of Marian devotions and traditions. Students will learn to analyze and synthesize visual materials, written texts, and material culture. The course will present a range of primary and secondary sources (art, film, liturgy, literature, theology, and modern material culture) that students will interpret and evaluate. The course objectives are to help students practice and acquire analytical and argumentative skills (to make and defend a point) and to write accurately, clearly, and persuasively using data pertaining to the cult of the Virgin Mary. Students will understand how people venerated Mary through the ages as they apply strategies of interpretation, comprehension, analysis, and assessment. Students will synthesize and evaluate the transformations of Mariology within the historical context of four paradigmatic transformations: Jewish Apocalyptic, Hellenistic, Latin Roman Catholic, and global. Students will engage how believers are active in their faith in Mary over time and the theological traditions shaping Marian practices and devotions. Students will investigate the place and role of women in the Christian world, from Late Antiquity to the present day in order to understand the patterns and traditions of women’s participation in Mariology and their religious vocations within formal structures such as patriarchy and misogynist mechanisms.
Required Reading
Many of the readings and images will be available on the course website. We will use visual and aural texts, images and interactive web materials. There are four required books for the class:
1) Any New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, Revised Standard, or New
International Version
2) Luigi Gambero, Mary and the Fathers of the Church: The Blessed Virgin in Patristic
Thought, trans. Thomas Buffer (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 1999);
3) Luigi Gambero, Mary in the Middle Ages: The Blessed Virgin Mary in the Thought of
Medieval Latin Theologians, trans. Thomas Buffer (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2000)
4) Richard Wunderli, Peasant Fires: The Drummer of Niklashausen
You will need to buy them at the ASU bookstore, an online distributor such as Amazon.com, or a local bookstore such as Borders. If you purchase it online remember that it will take at least two weeks for the book to arrive, so be sure to order it well before class begins.You will also be reading a number of articles as well as an additional list of optional readings, which are available online and ASU library.
It is imperative that you obtain and maintain an active EMMA and Library account. Emails sent to your ASU address are your responsibility as well as library privileges. You will need to access online articles from the ASU electronic journals. It is your responsibility to comply with this privilege. I will submit all official emails to your ASU address. It is your responsibility to fix any technical problems.
Requirements & Grading
We expect every student to leave this course with a better – more insightful – understanding of the development of Mariology, its belief systems, intellectual traditions, rituals and practices, and religious platforms. Along the way, we ask that you write eBoard contributions, screen required films, write a critical paper, take exams, and synthesize the interactive web materials and lectures.
My policies in this course are those written in the ASU code of integrity (
ParticipationThe participation grade will be based on your eboard writing activities, consisting of mandatory contributions based on the readings, lectures, required websites, and on the screening of the films. Each lesson, except the last one, contains one eboard question. Your answer must based on your interpretation of the reading assignments, lectures, and screening. Do not rely on any authority and do not use secondary sources. You must provide an original assessment and you must answer at least ten (10) questions listed in the schedule. I will use additional contributions that you opt to do for your extra credit points. You must keep up with the progress of the course and must address issues that we are covering, and thus I will not count eBoard contributions posted after the dates establishing the eBoard questions. Please be rigorous and constructive. Refrain from flaming or ad hominem comments, and do not disrespect other people because you will receive a failing grade.
Exams There will be a midterm worth 100 points and a final also worth 100 points. The exam will consist in short essays questions and multiple-choice questions. The multiple-choice questions will test the student knowledge acquisition and comprehension, and the essays will examine student application, analysis, and assessment of the course material, which consists in lectures, assigned readings and websites listed in the weekly schedule.
PaperStudents will interpret evidence related to the Virgin Mary. Before you begin to write, please discuss with me a topic and a set of documents, films, physical data, groups and individuals that interests you. You may wish to study Marian shrines and home altars, and you may even interview individuals who are Marian believers. It is very important that you first establish a reasonable thesis for your paper as well as norms for appropriate evidence.
You must analyze a primary source provided in the course syllabus. This
assignment is not a research paper, but it does require a critical interpretation and assessment of one or a handful of original sources covered in this course. Your analysis must be double-spaced, one-inch margins, three to five pages long, twelve point Times New Roman font. Failure to follow instructions in any of these will result in no less than five points for each infraction. Your thesis cannot be a claim established by an author,but ratheryou must articulate an original point. Failure to make an original argument will result in the deduction of at least ten points, and ten points will also be deducted if you do not follow the rules listed below:
1)A clear and cogent thesis based on evidence from a primary source. Your
thesis statement, which must be the first paragraph of the paper,must include a map detailing the range of topic sentences.
2)Topic sentences introducing each paragraph. Each paragraph must contain an
analysisof an example from a primary source. The topic sentence establishes your “take” or claim. You mustillustrate your claim with evidence that is clearly described and documented.
3)A conclusion that contains a synthesis and assessment of your of thesis and a
formulation of your original concept.
Feel free to provide me with a draft of your thesis and topic sentences no later
than a week beforethepaper deadline. Grades will be earned on critical thinking achievements, such as writing a clear and defendable thesis, the logical use of transitional sentences, the application of well-formulated and coherent topic sentences, the articulation of cogent information, and the conclusion of a reasonable hypothesis, containing an assessment and its range of implications.
If you select one of the five films for your paper, you must examine and categorize the cultural values articulated in the film as religious phenomena. You must rely on visual and aural elements in order to base your thesis, and then establish an argument which you must defend with filmic evidence. You must support your thesis with shot descriptions and narrative material. Each paragraph must begin with a topic sentence that is clearly related to your initial claim and based on visuals, off-screen mechanisms, color, patterns, character agencies, and other filmic devices.
Nota Bene: Consult the Chicago Manual of Style for appropriate citation: (
A very useful book to buy is Kate L. Turabian A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations 6th ed. (
You may also consider purchasing A Short Guide to Writing About History, by Richard Marius.
For additional writing assistance, consult the ASU writing center at asu.edu/duas/wcenter; its main hub is located in the Homer C. Durham Language and Literature Building B302 (M-F 8 AM – 5 PM).
GradesBy the end of the semester you will have four grades: participation, the midterm exam, final, and critical paper.
Participation120
Paper100
Midterm Exam100
Final Exam100
Grading Scale
100 – 120 ….. A+
94 – 99 ….. A
90 – 93 ….. A-
88 – 89 ….. B+
84 – 87 ….. B
80 – 83 ….. B-
78 – 79 ….. C+
70 – 77 ….. C
60 – 69 ….. D
00 – 59 ….. E
Attendance, Make-ups
Weekly assignments are mandatory and there is no make-up option for weekly participation. Failure to take exams, write papers, and turn in all assignments will result in a failing grade. After the first week I will deduct five points (5) for each unexcused absence. After the first week I will deduct three points (3) for each time you are late for class.
Withdrawals and Incompletes
See the link
Academic Dishonesty
You are expected to turn in original work for this course. Quotations or ideas paraphrased from other work must be properly cited. Taking credit for another’s ideas or writing is plagiarism, which is a serious violation of the University’s Code of Academic Integrity.
In the “Student Academic Integrity Policy” manual, ASU defines “’Plagiarism” [as] using another's words, ideas, materials or work without properly acknowledging and documenting the source. Students are responsible for knowing the rules governing the use of another's work or materials and for acknowledging and documenting the source appropriately.”
Academic dishonesty, including inappropriate collaboration, will not be tolerated. There are severe sanctions for cheating, plagiarizing and any other form of dishonesty.
Learning Tasks Schedule
Lesson 1:Introduction to Course(Wednesday, 1/20)
Reading:“The Virgin Mary” in Catholic Encyclopedia:
Reading hint:
What is the relation between the veneration of Mary and the worship of
Jesus?
Website:For Christian sources, go to Christian Classics Library (
For Bible resources and translations, go the Bible website (
Lecture:Course Goals and Objectives
EBoard:According to the Roman church, why is the Virgin Mary worthy of devotion?
Lesson 2:Methodology and Critical Thinking (Wednesday, 1/27)
Reading:Deuteronomy in Bible (Remember use Revised Standard or NIV)
Reading hints:
Formulate a claim based on your interpretation of Deuteronomy 22
How are women depicted in this text?
Why is virginity important in this culture and at this time?
Website Religious Studies Web Guide(
Lecture: Approaching believers and their beliefs regarding the Virgin Mary
EBoardWhy was Mary’s virginity a critical virtue for the church fathers?
Lesson 3: Mariology(Wednesday, 2/03)
Reading:Genesis in Bible
Mary and the Fathers, pp. 27-32 (Gambero, 1999)
The Infancy Gospel of James
(
Reading hints:
Describe and assess the issue of gender in Genesis 1-5
What are the positive elements of female gender in Genesis?
What is the role of Mary in the writings of Ignatius of Antioch?
What elements require the existence of a matriarchy?
Why is virginity important in the Protoevangelium?
Website:Internet Resources for the Study of Judaism and Christianity
(
Lecture:Gender and Patriarchy
EBoardDescribe and assess the issue of gender in Genesis 1-5. How are women
characterized and what are the assumptions that determine the function of women? Note the articulation of patriarchy and the way it provided moral prescriptives.
Lesson 4: Mary as a Jewish Mother(Wednesday, 2/10)
Reading:Mark and Lukein Bible
Mary and the Fathers, pp. 33-42 (Gambero, 1999)
Reading hints:
Compare and contrast how the canonical gospels depict Mary
How do the gospels differ regarding the depiction of Mary and the nativity
of Christ?
Website:Biblical sources on the web:
Lecture:Gender, Resistance and Patriarchy
ScreeningThe Passion of Christ (Mel Gibson, 2002)
Screening hint:
Compare the emotional difference between males and females in the film.
EBoard Compare and contrast how the canonical gospels depict Mary.
Lesson 5: Mary of the Gospels(Wednesday, 2/17)
Reading:Matthew in Bible
Mary and the Fathers, pp. 43-68, 99-107, 171-180, 216-230 (Gambero 1999)
Reading hints:
How was Mary transformed by the church fathers?
What is the role of Jesus’ family in Mark
What is the nature of family according to Melito of Sardis?
Website:Dating the New Testament:
Lecture:Family Values
EBoard:What is the role of Mary in Matthew?
Lesson 6:The Patristic Mary(Wednesday, 2/24)
Reading:Mary and the Fathers, pp. 43-68, 99-107, 171-180, 216-230 (Gambero 1999)
Theoretical Reading hints:
How was Mary transformed by the church fathers?
What is the role of Jesus’ family in Mark
What is the nature of family according to Melito of Sardis?
Website:Dating the New Testament:
Lecture:The Hellenistic Ecumenical Paradigm: The Victory of Patriarchy
Eboard:How was Mary transformed by the church fathers?
Lesson 7:The Gnostic Virgin(Wednesday, 3/03)
Reading:The Gospel of Mary (
The Infancy Gospel of James
(
The Infancy Gospel of Thomas
(
Reading hints:
What are the gospel differences regarding who Jesus is?
Characterize the conflict between Mary and the apostles in the gospel of
Mary.
Website:Internet Medieval Sourcebook
Searching hints:
Brouse “Sex and Gender” link
Screening:I, the Worst of All (María Luisa Bemberg, 1990)
Screening hints:
What do women do that is threatening to men?
Assess the difference between religious and political authorities?
Consider the dangers of female sexuality to patriarchal society.
Lecture:The Marginalization of Women
EBoard:In I, the Worst of All, analyze the conflict between Sor Juana and the male figures
of authority.
Compare and contrast the ways in which powerful women in the film and in the Gnostic gospels assert their authority. What is the nature of authority used by female protagonists and do such women formulate their own agency?
Lesson 8:The Byzantine Virgin(Wednesday, 3/10)
Reading:The Council of Ephesus (431)
For Orthodox positions see
and
For heterodox articulations, see
or
Mary and the Fathers, pp. 233-248, 302-309, 325-337, 373-378 (Gambero, 1999)
Reading hints:
Recognize the diverse patristic perspectives on the Virgin Mary
Why was it important for church authorities to formulate the thesis of the
“Mother of God”?
Analyze Marian formulations by the church fathers and then compare how
the Theotokos icons represent theological arguments
Website: Images of the Mother of God
Assess the Byzantine icons of the Virgin Mary in terms of the use of the
mother figure as allusion and allegory. What is the political use of the image of the Theotokos? Pay attention to the motheras the supreme archetype, noting the use of color, light, emotional content, and leitmotifs.
Lecture:The Formation of the Roman Latin Paradigm
EBoard: Analyze Marian formulations by the church fathers and then compare how
Theotokos icons represent theological arguments. Try to connect the visual with texts, seeking to clarify relationships as well as differences.
Lesson 9: The Frankish Virgin(Wednesday, 3/24)
Reading:Mary and the Fathers, pp. 352-358, 379-380, 400-409 (Gambero, 1999)
Mary in the Middle Ages, pp. 51-87 (Gambero, 2000)
Reading hint:
Note the differences between the Frankish Virgin and the Greek Mary.
What are qualities of the European Virgin?
How did the Latin West represent and characterize the Virgin Mary?
Website:Sources on the Carolingians (
Lecture:The Carolingian Renaissance: Mary From East to West
EBoard: How did the Latin West represent and characterize the Virgin Mary? Establish the
Byzantine and Greek position and mark the transition.
Midterm Exam: The midterm is due as an email attachment on Saturday, March 27, by 12:00am MST.
Lesson 10:Marian Shrines (Wednesday, 3/31)
Reading:Apparitions in Late Medieval and Renaissance Spain, Introduction and Chapter
One / William A. Christian, Jr. (
Reading hint:
Why would villagers seek help from the Virgin Mary and the saints?
Describe the process by which Spanish authorities legitimize Marian
shrines.
Consider why authorities would sanction and approve religious events.
Website:Visual and descriptive sources on Marian shrines:
A list of Marian apparitions:
Screening:Song of Bernadette (Henry King, 1943)
Screening hints:
How are miracles understood by believers?
What is the connection between misfortune and hope-faith?
You do bad things happen to good people?
How do good people deal with tragedy?
Lecture: The Heavenly and Earthly Body of Mary
EBoard: Describe the process by which Spanish authorities legitimize Marian shrines.
Consider why authorities would sanction and approve such religious events. How are Marian apparitions not part of the legitimization process? Relying on unofficial Marian apparitions, clarify the procedures that “validate,” according to the believer, the Virgin’s appearance on earth.
Lesson 11:The Gothic Virgin(Wednesday, 4/07)
Reading:Popular medieval tales on the internet:
Mary in the Middle Ages, pp. 109-116, 124-141, 185-191 (Gambero, 2000)
Reading hints:
What are some elements of courtly love regarding Marian devotions?
How do theologians “feel” about Mary?
Compare Marian theology and medieval representations of the Virgin.
Look for emotional differences
Website:Search in Web Gallery of Art (
entering the artist,ANDREA DEL CASTAGNO, and select these panels, frescoes
and drawings:“The Virgin Cardiotissa” “The Crucifixion” and “Death of the Virgin”
Then enter the artist GIOTTO and select these frescoes:
Life of Virgin and Scenes from the New Testament “Lamentations”
Lecture:The Art of the Puissant Queen in Heaven
EBoard:Compare Marian theology and medieval representations of the Virgin