The majority of people in Medieval times were illiterate, so their literature could not include reading. Therefore, literature for an illiterate society consisted of: folk songs, liturgical hymns, recited stories (folklore), recited poetry, jokes, proverbs, and limited amounts of theater. Western Church literature was basic to Medieval society and liturgical hymns were the most popular form of this style. These religious songs, as well as, prayers and stories were also passed down through the ages. 

Because there is no widespread reading and writing in an illiterate society, the vast majority of Medieval literature was not preserved in written form other than what monasteries thought was important enough to copy. Folklore may seem like it is easily passed down through the ages, which is true. However it is almost always significantly altered over time, making it nearly impossible to know what was the original. Moreover, It is also difficult to imagine how a church congregation would memorize hymns without change, due to the fact that there was no musical notation and the words were not written down. Monastics, theologians, and scholars were the only chance for preservation. 

The Joys of Paradise was a popular hymn in the Early Middle Ages. Its themes include the unchanging nature of heaven and darkness of history, asserting that there is personal, ethical progress but no historical progress. Seeking to escape the carnal prison of flesh, the soul is always ethically righteous. In heaven, there will be singing, as it is morally and spiritually clean. There will also be endless days, no change, no progress, no privacy, no ambition, and even hunger, but Augustine said that there would always be food to satisfy it. 

Aurelius Clemens Prudentius was an Early Roman Christian poet whose works are still somewhat preserved. Age changed his perspective so he saw the futility of his worldly accomplishments, which will all be annulled by death, and his mind lost the world he loved. He equated morning with redemption, and stated that sin flourished in darkness, whereas light symbolized ethical purity and conquered darkness. Some of Prudentius’s other themes were: God foresees everything and knows all secrets, being a lawyer, involved, and successful, is futile. Instead, Prudentius advised to rejoice with songs of praise, since God’s judgement chases away evil. Pray and God will sanctify you.

Thomas Aquinas was one of the most important philosophers and theologians of the Middle Ages and still greatly influences Catholic theology to this day. He is known for using reason, instead of faith to prove God’s existence. 

Written in the 13th Century, the “Quinque Viae,” meaning “Five Ways,” used five arguments based on reason to prove the existence of God. Unmoved Mover, the first way, stated that the universe could not continue to exist, and change could not occur without God keeping it going and being a source of change. According to the second way, everything in the universe has a source and is thus an effect of that source, if a given event occurs, then it is the result of a previous related event. Aquinas called this universal causation. His third way called contingency, added that there are certain things which are possible and possible not to be, if everything is contingent and capable of going out of existence, nothing would exist now. Therefore, there must be something – a higher power that is imperishable and necessary: God. Degree, the Fourth Way listed by Aquinas, asserted that there are certain things which vary in degree of “goodness,” i.e. some things in the world are better than others like, healthy versus sick, alive versus dead, tall versus short. Hence, there must be something which is best and most true that judges and gives goodness. This too is God, who causes good in all else. The Fifth and final reason told by Saint Thomas Aquinas was cause or ends, meaning that various objects which lack intelligence still behave in regular or predictable ways, this cannot be due to chance since then they would have unpredictable results. So their behavior must be set by someone or something, as it cannot be by itself since it is not intelligent. Again, God is the One setting their behavior. 

Reason and rhetoric were the main tools used by Aquinas to prove not only God’s existence but also his divine attributes. Around the same time the Quinque Viae was published, Aquinas asserted five of God’s divine attributes. 1: There is only one God. 2: God never changes. 3: God is all powerful, afterall, how could He give powers to others while not possessing them Himself. 4: Since humans have intellect and will, God also possesses them. 5: Finally, God is perfect, 100% divine, and all-knowing with no negative features and no room for improvement.

Most famous for writing his autobiography “The Confessions” and the philosophical treatise “The City of God,” Augustine also penned numerous sermons which were meant to both inspire remembrance throughout the generations and to persuade others. Sometimes convoluted and complex, his sermons were not even read by many common people at the time. 

Augustine’s writings focused on persecution, when he said that another person can kill your body, but never your soul, thus Augustine advised to fear God instead of persecutors and to beware the death of your soul, since God will kill it if you act unrighteously. Augustine’s sermon called “sheep and wolves” focused on serpents and doves. He spoke of old snakes shedding their skin and compared this with abandoning the “old man,” or old ways of sin, and Christians as peaceful like doves but also wise like serpents. 

Citing martyrs as a strong example to all other faithful, Augustine’s main point was that they accepted the death of their body in exchange for the life of their eternal soul; they wouldn’t betray Christ. Using Peter as an example, Augustine asserted that he represented the Church and the Christian people, because when one trusts Christ they will not sink. However, when trust in oneself is larger than trust in God, he will sink in the stormy sea as did Peter. Moreover, the world is the sea, pulling people into its dangerous water, with a great threat being tranquility in life. When times are good, people let their guards down to temptations. 

Although tribulations, hardships, and persecutions may seem like the most dangerous and likely ways one might break away from Christ, Augustine urged Christians to be on guard against the offenses of the world, including enticements from friends or family. When asked how to resist these pitfalls, Augustine advised to obey God’s law and avoid being pleased with oneself for good deeds, as this only happens because of God’s grace. So strong is God’s grace, that it can even transform heathens and barbarians into people of God. Augustine thought that the world was old and failing and Christians were pilgrims therein. Eventually, all of creation would pass away, he surmised that there was no possibility of the world improving throughout history.