Thirteenth-century missionary strategy demanded formal training in infidel languages and scriptures

Evidence

Llull affirms that the Pope should appoint a cardinal whose sole duty is the conversion of infidels. He would supervise the construction of four monasteries specialized in the education of missionaries: one monastery for missionaries to the Saracens, one for missionaries to the Jews, one for those to the “schismatics,” one for those to the Tartars and other pagans. Devout and learned clerks unafraid of sacrificing their lives to Christ would enter the monasteries, learn the appropriate infidel language, and study the scriptures and doctrines of the infidel religion. When finished with this course of study, the clerics would go off in pairs to preach conversion to the infidels; for each pair who left the monastery, two more would be admitted. Llull acknowledges that there are indeed many devout clerics who do go off and preach to infidels: yet, since they lack specialized education in disputation, they are ineffectual. Moreover, not knowing the language, they resort to unreliable interpreters, and hence receive only the scorn of more educated infidels. — John V. Tolan, Saracens, 1330

Categorization

• XREF: Provides the medieval institutional template behind the modern ‘civilizing mission’ discourse Anidjar/Aziz trace — formalized religious-supremacist outreach rather than ad hoc polemic.
• SEED: Angle: the missionary monastery as early form of area-studies/language-training infrastructure that eventually became secular ‘intelligence’ and ‘development’ work.