The Poetry of Peter Damian

The Poetry of Peter Damian

Course Description: St. Peter Damian (1007-1073) was a noted teacher of theology and canon law who gave up his secular career to become a Benedictine monk. He still strove for Church reform, though, and later was made a cardinal and papal envoy. He was declared a Doctor of the Church in 1828, and though his theological treatises are his best known works, he also authored a substantial body of poetry, mostly liturgical but also moral poems. Some of the hymns he authored are still prescribed in the liturgy today. His poems are also intriguing for their wide use of classical meters that were not common in liturgical poetry of his time (and would not be for another few hundred years). In this course we will read and discuss representative selections of his poetry and, hopefully, become acquainted with Peter Damian through his own work and in the context of his times.

DETAILS

Level: Familiarity with Latin grammar, morphology, and vocabulary is strongly preferred, though interested students of any level are welcome.

Textbook: Instructor will provide materials.

Sections capped at: 5 students. If the course is sold-out, please fill out this waiting-list form.

When
Tuesdays, 6:00p.m. U.S. Eastern Time

Cost
$250

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Instructor

Joshua Gregor

Joshua Gregor is head of the Latin department at Sacred Heart Academy in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He has taught Latin courses ranging from beginning grammar up through Cicero, Horace, and Vergil, as well as medieval and Renaissance Latin. With Paideia he has previously taught a number of courses on Christian and Medieval Latin. Joshua holds a B.A. in philosophy from the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum in Rome, with a thesis on William Wordsworth’s Romantic theory of poetry. Afterwards he received an M.A. in linguistics from Indiana University, focusing on Latin and Romance languages. Joshua additionally spent several years in seminary, where he also studied humanities, theology, and Gregorian Chant.