thesis

Le culte marial entre doctrine et dévotion : étapes et enjeux de la controverse de l'immaculée conception au moyen age (xii eme - xv eme siecles)

Defense date:

Jan. 1, 1997

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Institution:

Paris 10

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Abstract EN:

The introduction of the celebration of the conception of mary (december 8 th) in the western countries during the xiith century is at the origin of a long controversy which can be reconstructed thanks to numerous documents of various types: treaties, sermons, commentaries of the sentences, quodlibeta, liturgical books and even chronicles and litterary texts. Besides the fact it was new, the celebration of the conception of mary shocked many theologists because of its apparent incompatibility with a doctrinal system firmly established: universality of the original sin, transmission of this sin by means of an irremediably guilty sexuality, and the necessity for each person to be redeemed by the sacrifice of the passion of christ. The discussions concerning a possible exception in favour of mary did not only lead to a better view on these various points, they also clarified a certain number of anthropological representation concerning the reproduction, the virginal conception, the mother to son and creature to creator relationship. These discussions also reveal some social or political models, notably concerning the figure of the sovereign power and how it related to the law, or the personal status of individuals. We can distinguish three phases in the controversy. At the beginning the propaganda in favour of the celebration gives birth to a new type of discourse which both explores new ways of thinking and remains strongly linked to the development of scholastic thought. Subsequently the immaculist opinion is completly left aside by the dominating discourse of an academic theology at a climax and only indirect testimonies of its existence still remain, whereas the celebration keeps gaining ground. Yet between the end of the xiiith century and the beginning of the xivth century both anonymous and famous voices are heard among theologists in favour of a new discourse which should reconcile cult and doctrine. This reversal leads in a third phase to paradoxical results: while, during the course of the xivth century the celebration becomes a widespread habit, and the immaculist opinion becomes the major trend, the existence of a barrier of resistance in the dominican order will give a new unexpected turn to the controversy, till the council of bale which brings the crisis to an uncertain end in 1439.

Abstract FR:

L'introduction au xiie siecle en occident de la fete de la conception de marie (8 decembre) est a l'origine d'une longue controverse que l'on peut reconstituer grace a de tres nombreux documents, de genres varies: traites, sermons, commentaires des sentences, disputes quodlibetiques, offices liturgiques et meme chroniques et textes litteraires. Outre son caractere de nouveaute, la fete de la conception de marie heurtait de nombreux theologiens par son apparente incompatibilite avec un corps de doctrine solidement etabli : universalite du peche originel, transmission de ce peche par le biais d'une sexualite irremediablement fautive, necessite pour chacun d'etre rachete par le sacrifice de la passion du christ les discussions sur la possibilite d'une exception en faveur de marie n'ont pas seulement amene a preciser ces divers points, elles ont egalement eclaire un certain nombre de representations anthropologiques concernant la reproduction, la conception virginale, le rapport mere-fils et creature-createur. Ces discussions revelent aussi certains modeles sociaux ou politiques, notamment en ce qui concerne la figure du pouvoir souverain et son rapport a la loi ou le statut personnel des individus. On peut distinguer trois phases dans la controverse. Au commencement, la propagande en faveur de la fete invente un discours inedit, qui explore des voies nouvelles tout en restant tres lie au developpement de la reflexion scolastique. Dans un second temps, l'opinion immaculiste se trouve completement marginalisee par le discours dominant d'une theologie universitaire alors a son apogee, et l'on ne conserve d'elle que des traces indirectes, tandis que la fete continue a se diffuser ; au tournant des xiiie et xive siecles, des voix anonymes ou celebres s'elevent cependant parmi les theologiens pour elaborer un nouveau discours qui doit permettre de concilier le culte et la doctrine. Ce retournement aboutit dans une troisieme etape a des resultats paradoxaux : tandis qu'au long du xive siecle on voit la fete se generaliser et l'opinion immaculiste devenir majoritaire, l'existence d'un mole de resistance, incarne par l'ordre dominicain, va faire rebondir la controverse d'une facon inattendue, jusqu'au concile de baie qui apporte en 1439 a la crise un denouement incertain.