The Medieval Concept of Spiritual, Intellectual, Political,

and Economic Education.

Monasticism

I. Intended Learning Outcome

• Realize the importance of agencies of education in the following:

a. Monasticism b. Scholasticism
c. Chivalry d. The Guild System of Education

II. Rationale
During the medieval age, the church operated primarily as a spiritual force
but its policies has a strong social, political, and economical implications.
Thus having a full monopoly on formal schooling and devoted much of its
time and energy into education.

III. History
The fall of Rome in 476 A.D. is considered as the end of ancient times and
the start of medieval history. In this period, four educational systems or
movements emerged namely: Monasticism, Scholasticism, Chivalry, and
the Guild system of education. Each educational system bears different
features and characteristics that greatly influence our today’s Philippine
Educational system.

• The Medieval Period was between 5th to 15th century

• It is called the middle period because it was between the Roman
Empire and the beginning of the modern age
• It was also called the dark aged because people were thought to be
unenlightened
• The medieval concept of education is centered on spiritual,
intellectual, political, and economic development.
• The Medieval period of philosophy represents a renewed flowering
of Western philosophical thought after the intellectual drought of the
Dark Ages.

B. MONASTICISM
• Monasticism or monkhood is a religious way of life in which one
renounces worldly pursuits to devote oneself fully to spiritual work.
• Monastic life plays an important role in many Christian churches,
especially in the Catholic and Orthodox traditions
• Similar forms of religious life also exist in other faiths, most notably
in Buddhism, but also in Hinduism and Jainism
• Women pursuing a monastic life are generally called nuns, while
monastic men are called monks.

• Many monks and nuns live in monasteries to stay away from the
secular world. The way of addressing monastics differs between the
Christian traditions
• Much of the period is marked by the influence of Christianity and
many of the philosophers of the period were greatly concerned with
proving the existence of God and reconciling Christianity with
classical philosophy.
• Monasteries became most influential in 1066-1300. On more than
300 monasteries, the monks educated the children, helped the poor
and cared for the sick. By 1500 some were closed down by Henry
VII and sold them.

Notable People:
• St. Patrick – founded the first Monasticism in Ireland between AD
432 and 461
• St. Anthony – founder of Christian monasticism
(Father of Monasticism)

The Three Evangelical Counsels or State of Perfection:

• Poverty (perfect charity)
• Chastity
• Obedience
Medieval monastic life consisted of prayer, reading, and manual labor.

Aims of Monastic Education

• Spiritual - to save individual souls
• Moral - to attain the ideals of poverty, chastity, and obedience
• Spiritual Knowledge - to attain the highest spiritual knowledge and
to achieve spiritual perfection
• Virtue - world renunciation

Agencies of Education
• The Monastery of Saint Anthony in Egypt, built over his tomb
• Saint Catherine's Monastery - one of the oldest working Christian
monasteries in the world
• monastic schools - under Charlemagne in the 18th and 19th
centuries

Curriculum: The Seven Liberal Arts

a. The Trivium (tres viae, three roads)

• Grammar – languages and literature
• Dialectic – logic or right reasoning
• Rhetoric – law and composition
b. The Quadrivium (quattor viae, four roads)
• Geometry – geometry, geography, and natural history
• Arithmetic – numbers and the study of the calendar
• Music – plain chant and harmony used in church
• Astronomy – the heavenly bodies, chemistry and physics

Moral and Religious Training

• Literary Education
• Manual Training Type of Education
• Monasticism renounced completely the three aspects of social
organizations:
• The Domestic Home
• The Economic Structure
• The Political State

Methods of Instructions
• Catechetical Method
• Dictation
• Memorization
• Language
• Discipline
• Meditation and Contemplation/ Thoughtful Reflection

Outstanding Contributions to Education

• Preserving culture of Christians Monasteries
• Opposing vices and corruption
• Taming warlike spirits
• Giving dignity on labor
Assessment

Discuss method and/or principles of teaching practiced in your school

which may be associated with monastic Education in the Medieval period.

On your own opinion what were the best trait of monasticism that should
be preserved? Altered? And Why?

References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monasticism
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_LJctCA6Tc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QV7CanyzhZg
https://www.slideshare.com/foundationofeducationchapter5