Medieval Theology

Abstract How the Ark was understood in medieval European thought is the subject of Chapter 4. It explores how medieval theologians treated the Ark as metaphor in various ways, in some cases taking the Virgin Mary as a “new Ark” because she bore Christ in her womb or treating various wise scholars as “Arks” of Christian knowledge. The Ark was often depicted in the art of the era, reflecting these theologies, but often considerable liberties were taken with the biblical descriptions of its physicality. Jewish theologies of the era also understood the Ark through metaphor, as was the case with Kabbalah, the mystical system that emerged at this time. Relatedly, early modern scholars and scientists were very much interested in Solomon’s Temple and its metaphorical meanings, and the Ark’s association with the Temple inspired their studies. The chapter ends with a discussion of early Christian pilgrimage to the Holy Land.