Influence of Prophecy in the Later Middle Ages, The

Marjorie Reeves

Description

Since the original publication of this title, the twelfth-century Calabrian Abbot Joachim of Fiore has been accorded an increasingly central position in the history of medieval thought and culture. In this classic work Marjorie Reeves shows the wide extent of Joachimist influence from the thirteenth to the sixteenth centuries and demonstrates the continuity between medieval and Renaissance thought in the field of prophecy.

Reeves pinpoints some of the most original aspects of Joachim's theology of history and traces his reputation and influence through succeeding centuries. She also explains how his vision of a final age of the spirit in history became a powerful force in shaping expectations of the future in Western Europe. The book traces in detail the development of the three great images in which these expectations came to be focused: New Spiritual Men, Angelic Pope, and Last World Emperor. In addition, Reeves illuminates how the pervading influence of Joachim's concepts of a future golden age forms the basis for an understanding of prophetic visions in later centuries.

Sujets

• Religion
• Christianisme
• Medieval
• HISTORY
• Histoire
• Edad Media
• Last Roman Emperor
• Pope Peter II
• Christian Church
• Western Europe
• Theology
• Middle Ages
• Europe

Informations

• Publié par: University of Notre Dame Press
• Date de parution: 31 mars 1994
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9780268178536
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 16 Mo

Extrait

nfluence of
Prophecy in
the JLafer
MiJJJle
Age§
A Study in
Joachimism
by Marjorie Reeves THE INFLUENCE OF
PROPHECY IN
THE LATER
MIDDLE AGES THE INFLUENCE OF
PROPHECY IN
THE LATER
MIDDLE AGES
A Study in Joachimism
MARJORIE REEVES
U N IVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME PRESS
N otre Dame Copyright © Oxford University Press 1969
First published by Oxford University Press 1969
University of Notre Dame Press Edition 1993
Published by arrangement with Marjorie E. Reeves
lh in the United States of America
Reprinted in 2011
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Reeves, Marjorie.
e infuence of prophecy in the later Middle Ages :
a study in Joachimism / Marjorie Reeves.
p. cm.
Originally published: Oxford : Clarendon Press, 1969.
Includes biographical references and index.
ISBN 13: 978-0-268-17851-2 (cloth : alk. paper) 10: 978-0-268-01170-3 (pbk. : alk. paper)
1. Joachim, of Fiore, ca. 1132-1202. 2. History
(eology)—History of doctrines—Middle Ages, 600-1500.
3. Bible—Prophecies. 4. Bible—Criticism,
interpretation, etc.—History—Middle Ages, 600-1500. I. Title.
BR115.H5R4 1993
231.7'45'0902—dc20 93-24809
CIP
∞ The paper in this book meets the guidelines for permanence and durability of the
Committee on Production Guidelines for Book Longevity of
the Council on Library Resources.TO
l1Y MOTHER PREF ACE TO THE NEW EDITION
N THE LAST thirty years or so, interest in 'that fascinating and
singular figure', Joachim of Fiore, and, more generally, I in medieval apocalypticism, has developed to a remarkable
degree. This has been in part due, perhaps, to our increasing
perception of psychological factors in the study of historical
causes. It is, above all, in the human imagination that expectations
of the fture work most powerflly, and the history of the images
and visions in which both hopes and fears concerning a final
climactic age of history have been cast can no longer be ignored or
brushed aside as 'lunatic finge'. Seminal books such as Norman
Cohn's Pursuit of the Milennium, first published in 1957, put us on
the track and modern anthropological studies have shown how,
when societies or groups are under pressure of great change, the
imagination feeds again on crisis images from the past. Joachim of
Fiore was not a millenarian in the strict sense of the word, but the
ever-expanding research of recent years is showing how powerful
and pervasive an influence his theology of history has exercised,
fr beyond the later Middle ages, through the Renaissance and
Refrmation period, even down to the nineteenth and twentieth
centuries. The Centro Internazionale di Studi Gioachimiti, estab­
lished in the Abbot Joachim's chosen monastic location, San
Giovanni in Fiore, has drawn together an international group of
scholars whose periodic meetings have proved a remarkable
stimulus to Joachimist studies.
I am grateful to the University of Notre Dame Press fr under­
taking to republish this book and wish to thank the editor and staff
fr their willing cooperation. In the course of revising it I have
become increasingly aware of the debt I owe to the members of
what one might venture to call 'the Joachite club'. First, I must
recall the memory of two early collaborators, Morton Bloomfield
and Beatrice Hirsch-Reich. Secondly, I must express my gratitude
to more recent collaborators, Harold Lee, Warwick Gould and,
presently, Martha Fleming and Jean Vereecken. A whole bevy of
distinguished scholars agreed willingly to contribute to a recent
volume on Renaissance prophecy. I owe a great personal debt to Vlll Preface to the New Edition
the scholarship as well as to the friendly criticism of Randolph
Daniel, Bernard McGinn, Robert Lerner, David Burr, Roberto
Rusconi, and Cesare Vasoli. Many others have sent me a rich
collection of writings over the broad field of prophecy and mille­
narianism. The generous exchange of knowledge and ideas
between scholars is at least one cause for optimism in the interna­
tional scene today.
Marjorie Reeves,
St. Anne's College, Oxford.
March, 199 3. PREFACE
UMAN BEINGS in general can no more ignore their future
than they can lose their past. Thus a theme common to all H periods of history is that of attitudes towards the future.
Such attitudes are determined by what one may term the contem­
porary rules of predictability. These in turn derive from assumptions
about the determining factors of human living. From expectations
of hope or of fear spring motives for decision and action. A study of
prediction, therefore, has something significant to contribute to the
understanding of an age. Today much decision is based on a type
of prediction which is being evolved under sets of rules deriving
from scientific method. Just how adequate an approach to the
future this supplies remains to be seen. In this book I have attempted
a study of attitudes to the future based on an entirely different set
of assumptions. The medieval concept of prophecy presupposed a
divine providence working out its will in history, a set of given clues
as to that meaning implanted in history, and a gift of illumination to
chosen men called to discern those clues and from them to prophesy
to their generation. These assumptions governed the rules of pre­
dictability. Such an approach to the future was in part deterministic,
but never mechanistic. Divine providence, it was believed, used
human agencies and prophecy was often a call to men to involve
themselves in the working out of God's purposes in history. The
two determined points of the future were the appearance of Anti­
christ and the Last Day of Judgement. These apart, there was
scope for the play of human imagination on the future forms of
society and their fate. Men were called to involve themselves in
a poetic dream rather than a scientifically controlled future. This
style of thought became widespread in the later Middle Ages after
receiving a tremendous impetus from the prophetic message of
Joachim of Fiore. His doctrine of the three status imparted a rhythm
and expectation to the course of history which appealed powerfully
to the imagination. This current of thought does not slacken as one
moves into the Renaissance period. Although obviously different
ways of looking at the future were forming in the sixteenth century,
they existed side by side with the old assumptions in the minds of X Preface
rulers, churchmen, and scholars. Only reluctantly in the seventeenth
century was prophecy as an attitude towards the future acknow­
ledged to be outmoded.
I am happy at last to be able to acknowledge a long-standing debt
of gratitude to Westfield College, London, where, as the holder of
a research studentship, I first embarked on this subject more than
thirty years ago. That I did so at all was due to the encouragement
of Miss Gwyer, my Principal as an undergraduate at St. Hugh's
College, Oxford. Over the years since then I have accumulated
many debts to scholars. Until her death I was constantly drawing on
the scholarship and insight of Dr. Beatrice Hirsch-Reich. The
pioneer in modern Joachimist studies, Professor Dr. Herbert Grund­
mann, Prasident of the Monumenta Germaniae Historica, not only
provided foundations for this book but generous help at various
stages, particularly with regard to manuscripts. Other manuscript
queries have been answered for me with unfailing willingness by
Dr. Marie Therese d'Alverny and Dr. Jeanne Bignami-Odier. Col­
laboration with Professor Morton Bloomfield of Harvard marked
the beginning of a continuing discourse on Joachimist problems in
which I have been indebted to him both for his critical judgements
and his vast knowledge of the sources. In Oxford, Miss Beryl
Smalley has put me on the track of important exegetical material
and Dr. Richard Hunt has watched for Joachimist references
which might turn up in Bodley. Acknowledgements to other scholars
who have generously supplied references will be found in footnotes.
In its latest stage Professor Ernest Jacob kindly read and criticized
the first part of this book, while Professor Richard Southern gave
most generously of his time and thought to the improvement of the
first two parts. For the sabbatical leave which enabled me to com­
plete the book I must thank the Trustees of the Leverhulme
Foundation and the Principal and Fellows of St. Anne's College,
Oxford. For willing and accurate help over much tiresome typing
I must thank my sister, Kathleen Reeves. At the proof-reading stage
I have been saved ( om many foolish slips by the close scrutiny of
my sister, Joan Sheppard. Finally, I owe a lasting debt of gratitude
to my friend Alexandra Fairbairn, who has lived with this book
for so long.
M.E.R.
Oxford
May I968 CONTE~TS
"lOTF ON RFFERENCFS ,\ND BIBLIOGRAPHIES XIII
ACK'\JOWI ,Fl )GE\IEl'\TS XIII
ABBRE\ L\TIONS xv
PART O'.\E, Tl IF REPCTATIO'.\ OF Tl IE -\BBOT
JOAC:HL\1
PART TWO. '-!E\V SPIRITL'AL 'v!El\
PA.RT TllRFF. -\NTICHRIST AND LAST WORLD
EMPEROR 293
PART FOUR. ANGELIC POPE AND REiV(HATTO
HL\\/JJ 393
APPENDICES 509
SE] ,Fer HIBi ,JOGR\PHY I 543
SEJ .ECT HIBi JOGR-\PHY II 549
INDEX OF ,\IANUSCRIPTS
GENERAi, INDEX NOTE ON REFERENCES
AND BIBLIOGRAPHIES
SELECT Bibliography I is the original bibliography. All works given in
this are cited throughout by the abbreviations in square brackets. The
alphabetical List of Abbreviations preceding the text refers by numbers
to the entries in the Bibliography.
All other works arc cited in full the first time. Subsequent citations are
given as 'op. cit.' if the full reference is within about the last ten references,
or as 'op. cit. (ref. page and note)' if it is further back.
Quotations in the text have their own abbreviated references given at
the end of the quotation, except where they are immediately preceded
by a footnote which itself gives an exact reference for the quotation.
Select Bibliography II attempts