Rome and Religion in the Medieval World: Studies in Honor of Thomas F.X. Noble

Rome and Religion in the Medieval World provides a panoramic and interdisciplinary exploration of Rome and religious culture. The studies build upon or engage Thomas F.X. Noble’s interest in Rome, especially his landmark contributions to the origins of the Papal States and early medieval image controversies. Scholars from a variety of disciplines offer new viewpoints on key issues and questions relating to medieval religious, cultural and intellectual history. Each study explores different dimensions of Rome and religion, including medieval art, theology, material culture, politics, education, law, and religious practice. Drawing upon a wide range of sources, including manuscripts, relics, historical and normative texts, theological tracts, and poetry, the authors illuminate the complexities of medieval Christianity, especially as practiced in the city of Rome itself, and elsewhere in Europe when influenced by the idea of Rome. Some trace early medieval legacies to the early modern period when Protestant and Catholic theologians used early medieval religious texts to define and debate forms of Roman Christianity. The essays highlight and deepen scholarly appreciation of Rome in the rich and varied religious culture of the medieval world.

About the Author

Valerie L. Garver is Associate Professor in the Department of History at Northern Illinois University, USA. Her research interests center upon the Early Middle Ages, particularly the social and cultural history of the Carolingian Empire. She is the author of Women and Aristocratic Culture in the Carolingian World. Owen M. Phelan is Associate Professor of Church History at Mount Saint Mary's University, USA. His primary research interest is the religious history of Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages. He is author of the forthcoming The Formation of Christian Europe: The Carolingians, Baptism, and the Imperium Christianum.