“The Cure of Souls is the Art of Arts:” Preaching, Confession, and Catechesis in the Middle Ages
Andrew Reeves
In the European Middle Ages, area in which majority of lay Christians came into contact with so-called institutional Church was pastoral care. Three principle areas this care were preaching, confession, and catechesis. All three provide a window popular religious practice, thus, study benefitted from social-historical turn 1960s 1970s an increased emphasis on “the people.” One key aspects has been investigation pastoralia, those works literature meant to help clergy cure souls carry out their tasks. The pastoralia begins manuscripts, but then aids several different approaches: history sexuality, feminism, social cultural history, universities all make abundant use literature.
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