Why Medieval Catholics Were Right About Jesus

From Medieval Mindset

Modern depictions of Jesus often look "safe" and anatomically perfect, but medieval art was different. It was raw, symbolic, and sometimes downright weird. But what if the "ugly" art of the Middle Ages actually understood the theology of Christ better than we do today?

From the "Old Man Baby" (Homunculus) to the graphic wounds of the Rottgen Pieta, medieval artists weren't trying to be realistic; they were trying to be truthful. In this episode, we strip away our modern biases to rediscover the Knight, the Lover, and the Suffering Servant of the medieval mind. We explore why realism was considered spiritually dangerous and how the Christian imagination of the 12th century unlocked a deeper intimacy with the Incarnation. If you want to understand the spiritual depth behind the "weird" art, this video is for you. TIMESTAMPS 0:00 – Why Medieval Christians Saw Jesus Differently 0:39 – The Triumphant Christ vs. The Suffering Servant 2:22 – Why Jesus Didn’t Look Anatomically Correct 3:14 – Byzantine Influence and Non-Realistic Symbolism 3:48 – The Cross of Otto & Mathilde and Medieval Ornate Simplicity 4:30 – Medieval Loincloths and Royal Drapery 5:10 – The Side Wound: Channels of Grace 6:54 – Quick Patreon Plug 7:22 – Christ the Knight and Chivalric Savior 8:24 – The "Erotic" Jesus & Song of Songs Mysticism 9:47 – The Side Wound & The Sacred Heart 11:29 – Homunculus Jesus and Fully Formed Infancy 12:15 – The Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist 13:25 – Jesus as the Logos: Medieval Visual Theology 15:01 – Why Medieval Depictions Changed Over Time Works Cited

• Bonne of Luxembourg, Prayer Book of Bonne of Luxembourg. The Cloisters, Metropolitan Museum of Art, ca. 1340–1345.
• Colin Morris. The Discovery of the Individual, 1050–1200. University of Toronto Press, 1987.
• Duffy, Eamon. The Stripping of the Altars: Traditional Religion in England, 1400–1580. Yale University Press, 1992.
• Langland, William. Piers Plowman. Edited by A. V. C. Schmidt, Oxford University Press, 2012.
• Mechthild of Magdeburg. The Flowing Light of the Godhead. Translated by Frank Tobin, Paulist Press, 1998.
• Röttgen Pietà. Rheinisches Landesmuseum Bonn, early 14th century.
• San Damiano Cross. Basilica of Saint Clare, Assisi, 11th century.
• Moutier-Grandval Bible. British Library, Add MS 10546, 840s.