Customer Reviews

The Sacred Cosmos: Theological, Philosophical, and Scientific Conversations in the Twelfth Century School of Chartres

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It's not often I read a book that introduces me to more than 1 new word, but this one did; my favorite among these is "integument" (I'll leave you the satisfaction of discovering it on your own). Let me be clear up front: this book does not read like a Stephen King novel (nor should it!), but the rewards to me were well worth it. For anyone interested in the Middle Ages, the history of ideas, or the tension and interplay of science and faith, this book is a detailed exposition of that debate at a crucial time in history. Schools that began the modern university movement were just beginning, and architectural styles that told much of the religious and secular tales of the day were beginning to spread as well, from in and around Chartres.

Apparent conflicts between reason and faith abound now, but were possibly even more central then, so this exposition of the thoughts of some of the most influential scholars of the time on this subject are worth investigating in detail -- which is exactly what the author does. It is certainly possible that they may provide a long-forgotten perspective on things -- so this book serves as a reminder of that perspective and of the fact that we can continue to learn from the past. To the Chartrians, study of the natural world can lead one to God, and their reasoning toward this conclusion is instructive: they bring in ideas of Plato, Boethius, and others, which serves to remind us of the connectedness of ideas from many times and schools of thought.

Perhaps the least satisfying thing in the book is the idea of the world soul -- but I expect this is due more to the less focused and detailed treatment of it by the book's subjects, or to my own lack of understanding, than to any failings of the author. This is a well-researched and well-footnoted book that can be appreciated by anyone with an interest in the topics, but is probably best appreciated by someone with some background relevant to the time, place, and ideas being discussed. I frequently found myself linking the Chartrians' ideas to current issues with which many wrestle. I just as frequently found myself delighted to have so much of the thought of these men revealed so clearly: often one reads of them, or reads vague references to their ideas, but this book delivers on the details, on the context, and on the subject as a whole.