The Typology of Prayer between 1250-1500

Between approximately 1250 and 1500, Christian monks and nuns understood “prayer” (oratio) in various ways: the text of the prayer; the act of praying, which included liturgical singing or individual conversation with God and the saints; the approach to an inherently unreachable God, such as in visual devotion; work accompanied and punctuated by (mental or spoken) prayer; and finally, virtuous, God-pleasing actions performed out of love for others.

These diverse traces of prayer can be found in many different historical sources, suggesting that monks and nuns of the time indeed prayed without ceasing. In my research, I aim to bring some order to the widely dispersed concept of prayer. 

Starting with two texts from the thirteenth century by the Franciscan David of Augsburg, I will explore the different types of prayer and their relationships to each other. In De exteriori et interiori hominis compositione, David explains how one should live according to the rule when entering the order, including the status of different types of prayer. The “Seven Stages of Prayer” are based on this text, describing prayer as a step-by-step ascent to God, thus interpreting the typology of prayer quantitatively. Both texts were transmitted in German, Dutch, and Latin until the 15th century, demonstrating their significant influence on medieval piety, especially as they were written for religious novices and served as tools for a pious life. 

David of Augsburg serves as a bridge between the mystical tradition of the 12th century (St. Bernard, Hugh of St. Victor, Thierry of Chartres) and the practical demands of a rapidly expanding piety across the boundaries of individual orders since the founding of the mendicant orders. His texts provide insight into a broader transformation of prayer piety between 1250 and 1500, allowing both anthropological and historical questions about medieval prayer to be answered.

My research is guided by the following interconnected questions: How did communal prayer relate to individual prayer? Did personal devotion conflict with the interests of the group? How did the body relate to the soul in prayer? Did the ascent of prayer require complete disdain for one’s body? How was prayer situated within the doctrine of virtues? Was humility, the “virtue of virtues”, a prerequisite for proper prayer or its result? What role did the disciplining of one’s behavior play in prayer? Did one need to be able to pray according to the rules before using prayer as an expression of individual desire? What was the impact of quantifying prayer? Did it elide the differences between heterogeneous elements of prayer?