This dissertation explores theologies of suffering through engagement with five theologians from across fifteen centuries of the Christian tradition: Gregory the Great, Julian of Norwich, Jeremy Taylor, C.S. Lewis and Ivone Gebara. It uses a typological method to examine the types of responses that are advocated by each theologian, and the relation of their responses to five theological touchstones: Humanity, Sin and Evil; God’s Providence; Salvation; Christ; and Eternal Life. The Introductory Chapter provides an exploration of the definitions and etymologies of suffering and grief; a description of the typological method; an examination of notable relevant literature; and an introduction to the five thinkers. Chapter One is an examination of the life and writings of the 6th century pope Gregory the Great, with particular focus on The Book of the Pastoral Rule and Moralia. Gregory understands suffering to be a discipline sent by God to the faithful. Chapter Two is an examination of the life and Revelations text of the 13th century English mystic Julian of Norwich, who focuses on the reward God desires to give those who suffer. Chapter Three is an examination of the life and writings of 17th century Anglican bishop Jeremy Taylor, with particular focus on Holy Living and Holy Dying. Taylor places an emphasis on the lifelong practice of faithfulness in preparation for death. Chapter Four is an examination of the life and writings of 20th century Anglican theologian and author C. S. Lewis, with particular attention to The Problem of Pain, The Chronicles of Narnia, A Grief Observed, and Letters to Malcom. Lewis offers the example of one who is willing to engage with the depth of his grief and to question God on his road to acceptance. Chapter Five is an examination of the life and writings of contemporary Brazilian, feminist and liberation theologian Ivone Gebara, with particular focus on her book Out of the Depths and her engagement with Latin American author Isabel Allende. Gebara questions traditional understandings of suffering, as well as when suffering is to be accepted and when suffering is unjust and should be combated. The Concluding Chapter constructs a contemporary theology of suffering drawing on the insights and wrestling with the challenges raised by the varying perspectives of the five theologians. The goal is to provide a hopeful and nuanced way of thinking theologically about suffering for contemporary Christians. The contemporary theology affirms the importance of the call, found in Gebara, to combat unjust suffering through acts of love and mercy, while also affirming that acceptance of the reality of endemic suffering, found in all five theologians, can provide one with opportunities to grow spiritually, live more faithfully and to experience the blessings in the midst of suffering that are a foretaste of heavenly bliss.

Annotation: This masters thesis deals with prominent figure of the Pope Gregory the Great (540-604), whose life and especially pontificate became a model for many of his successors as well as for the overall direction of the Roman Church. Despite the indisputable authority of the Pope there is no full consensus about its meaning or some of its steps. The aim of this work is as faithful as possible to capture his life, the concept of the Church and political activity. The work will not appreciation of Gregory's theological concept, but rather to capture its political and organizational-legal approaches to fulfilling idea of the power of the papacy. The work will be primarily based on sources which Gregory himself left behind, which will primarily reflected his correspondence. They will use other historical sources as well as secondary literature. A method of processing work will consist in the logical analysis of the sources, comparison with literature secondary and subsequent summary and evaluation.

The sequence commentary emerged as a new branch of medieval commentary literature in the twelfth century. The sequence itself, sung in the Roman Mass, was a hugely influential genre—several thousands of sequence texts are known today—but the fact that the Middle Ages also produced commentaries on this liturgical poetry has been hitherto practically unknown and very few commentary texts have been edited. The present work is the first attempt at a broader presentation of the sequence commentary genre. It makes available in modern editions seven previously unedited expositions on the sequence Ad celebres rex for the feast of St Michael. Introductions to each edition discuss the motifs interpreted, the commentary technique used and the sources drawn upon. Manuscript interrelations and textual problems are also treated here. Editions of four prologues introducing collections of commentaries are also included. These texts, though not specifically tied to the commentaries on Ad celebres rex, are presented here since they provide useful evidence of the interpretative frameworks chosen by the commentators. The complex textual transmissions of these texts have required three different editorial methods, which are discussed in a separate chapter. A general introduction surveys the sequence commentary material found to date. From these textual witnesses—nearly a hundred manuscripts listed in an appendix—we may conclude that the genre flourished mainly in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. Most manuscripts present large collections of commentaries on sequences for the whole liturgical year, generally preceded by a prologue and sometimes accompanied by a corresponding group of hymn commentaries.

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L'iconographie de saint Grégoire le Grand (v.540 – 604) n'a été jusqu'à présent que très peu étudiée.Lorsqu'on connaît l'importance de ce saint dans la société médiévale, et plus particulièrement à partir du IXe siècle et jusqu'au XIIe siècle, il s'avère donc logique d'en approfondir l'iconographie et les enjeux qui s'en détachent. Riche d'un héritage antique et surtout carolingien lui conférant une autorité, l'image grégorienne souvent insérée au sein d'une image tripartite hiérarchisée (Dieu, l'homme et le livre), semble liée à plusieurs données: hagiographiques, scéniques, scripturaires ou géographiques. Elle expose les relations entre oralité et registre écrit, rend compte des changements de fonction du litteras et de l'importance de la mémorisation et témoigne d'une recherche aiguë du sens. Tendant à s’éloigner des bases hagiographiques, elle met l’accent, entre les IX et le XIe siècles, sur la vocalisation, puis, au XIIe s., sur la représentation des différentes phases de la vie d'un texte, de ce fait l'image est donc liée à la production du livre et axée sur la représentation de la transmission du savoir et de son enseignement dans laquelle la visualisation du savoir prend toute son importance (recherche généalogique et didactique centrées sur les vertus du saint). Grégoire, doué d'attributs impériaux l'élevant vers l'au-delà, est intégré à une image représentant l'invisible puisque Dieu reste caché à la vue de l 'homme. Cette image, à insérer dans le contexte liturgique et sensitif, fait non seulement écho aux principales préoccupations théologiques, morales voire canoniques de l'époque mais tente surtout de les légitimer. / The iconography of St. Gregory the Great (ca. 540 - March 12, 604) has so far been little studied, despite a resurgence of studies recognized for several decades. When we know the importance of this saint in medieval society, especially from the ninth century to the twelfth century, it seems therefore logical to study the iconographic aspects and issues emanating from it. A rich antique heritage and especially carolingian giving it authority, the Gregorian picture often inserted within an image tripartite hierarchy (God, man and the book), seems to be linked to several data: hagiographic, scenic, scriptural or geographic. It describes the relationship between oral and written records, reports changes depending on litteras and the importance of storage and research shows acute sense. Tending to move away from hagiographics bases, it emphasizes between the IXth and XIth centuries, the vocalization, and then, in the twelfth century, on the representation of the different phases of the life of a text (inspiration, transcription, writing, transmission), this that the image is linked to the production of the book focuses on the representation of the transmission of knowledge and teaching wherein the visualization of knowledge becomes important (genealogical and didactic research focus on the virtues of the saint). Gregory, endowed with imperial attributes raising him toward beyond, is integrated into an image representing the invisible because God remains hidden from the view of the man. These pictures to be inserted in the liturgical context and sensitive, are not only reflected the main concerns theological, moral or canonical time but mostly trying to legitimize them.