ON THE CATEGORY OF DISEASE IN MEDIEVAL CULTURE

Abstract

This article discusses some issues concerning the place of disease in medieval culture. First of all, Christian etiology of the disease and its axiological status are considered. The author come to the conclusion that whereas paganism,being far from moral and ethical problems in the etiological field, declared the disease as an unfortunate accident, a "defect" in the normal course of events, Christianity, with its strengthened ethical side and appeal to conscious morality, began to perceive the disease as a natural result of the sinful behavior of a man himself. The illness was no longer an external, accidental event. It was declared an immanent attribute of sinful humanity. Sufferings, including those accompanying the disease, proved to be the best way to demonstrate the renunciation of the mortal world and expressing one's commitment to higher divine values.

Keywords

• культурная история болезни
• модель мира
• мифология болезни
• космология болезни
• реперкуссия
• «атлеты христа»
• cultural history of the disease
• model of the world
• mythology of the disease
• cosmology of the disease
• repercussion
• "athletes of christ"