medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Actually, burial in consecrated ground only became a requirement rather
late in the game--in the tenth century in many parts of Europe. And the
driving force does not seem to have been theology, but rather the efforts
of (often secular) church patrons to collect burial fees. May I refer you
(however immodestly) to my book, Consorting with Saints: Prayer for the
Dead in Early Medieval France (Ithaca, NY, 1994), which devotes a chapter
to this subject (pp. 102-32).
t 03:06 PM 4/7/2003 -0400, you wrote:
>medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
> Dear Brenda,
> If this is the case, I would expect there to be numerous
> church councils
> (at least in the early period, or in places where missionary
> activity was ongoing)
> emphasizing the importance of church burial along with that of
> baptism, etc.
> It is precisely the "popular belief" that I am trying to find
> historical roots for!
> Meg
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Ms Brenda M. Cook [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
>Sent: Monday, April 07, 2003 1:52 PM
>To: Cormack, Margaret Jean
>Subject: Re: burial in churchyards
>
>medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
>As far as I am aware it has ALWAYS been normal to bury Christians in
>consecrated ground and that meant either in a churchyard itself or under
>the floor of a chapel or church. In monastic buildings, where the whole
>building is consecrated, burials took place under the paving of the
>cloister and (in the case of Abbots / Abbesses) under the floor of the
>Chapter House.
>
>It is the reverse of what is implied by your question that is true:
>excomunicants like suicides, murderers, heretics &c were EXCLUDED from
>burial in consecrated ground to mark their (presumed) damnation without
>the option. Part of the horror of Capital Punishment as practised in
>England was that the body of the executed was buried within the prison and
>was burned in quick-lime. The point of being buried in consecrated ground
>is to identify you as a Christian at the general resurrection of the dead
>in time for the Last Judgement. The idea of being buried OUTSIDE the
>churchyard is horrifying: it marks you out as damned. For long enough
>burning was believed to deny you resurrection, at least in popular
>superstition whatever the theologians might say.
>
>It was only in the 19th C with the urban overcrowding that municipal
>cemeteries were created to provide the necessary space. In these cases,
>sections were separately consecrated for members of the Church of England,
>for Roman Catholics and for the Nonconformist churches. Often "Chapels of
>Rest" were built in the cemeteries and were dedicated by the different
>denominations. Jewish burial grounds were separate again, although
>sometimes a section of a municipal cemetery would be devoted to them.
>
>This is a "popular belief" answer rather than a scholarly one: I hope it
>is relevant.
>
>Brenda M.c.
>----- Original Message -----
>From: <mailto:[log in to unmask]>Cormack, Margaret Jean
>To: <mailto:[log in to unmask]>[log in to unmask]
>Sent: Sunday, April 06, 2003 6:01 PM
>Subject: [M-R] burial in churchyards
>
>medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
>Learned Listmembers,
> Can anyone tell me if and when it became obligatory to bury
> Christians in churchyards?
>I would appreciate any references to church decrees etc. on this topic. I
>am secondarily
>interested in decrees prohibiting or permitting burial to various classes
>of people (excommunicates,
>pregnant women, etc.) but I am really trying to pin down how and when
>churchyard burial
>becomes required for ordinary Christians.
>
> Many thanks,
>Meg Cormack
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Megan McLaughlin
Associate Professor of History and Women's Studies
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Department of History, 309 Gregory Hall
810 South Wright Street
Urbana, Illinois 61801 U.S.A.
Phone: 217-244-2084
Fax: 217-333-2297
E-mail: [log in to unmask]
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