Feminae: Medieval Women and Gender Index

Record Number: 9534
Author(s)/Creator(s): Blamires , Alcuin.
Contributor(s):
Title: Women and Preaching in Medieval Orthodoxy, Heresy, and Saints' Lives
Source: Viator 26, ( 1995): Pages 135 - 152. Published under the auspices of the Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies, University of California, Los Angeles
Description:
Article Type: Journal Article
Subject (See Also): Disputations Henry of Ghent, Theologian Heresy Lollard Movement Mary Magdalene, Saint Preaching Theology Women in Religion Women Preachers
Award Note:
Geographic Area: British Isles;France
Century: 13- 14
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Abstract: Although there had been contention in the early church about women's eligibility for the preaching ministry, debate became more urgent, more elaborate, and more paradoxical during the thirteenth century. On the one hand the male prerogative over preaching was reinforced; on the other, there was renewed emphasis on everyone's responsibility to put to good use any God- given preaching talent, while hagiographic narratives developed the preaching exploits of popular female saints, notably Saint Mary Magdalene. In the universities lecturers sought to resolve such inconsistencies in the orthodox position in ways which disclose a context of revisionist challenge. That some of the paradoxes were perceived beyond academic circles is apparent from evidence in Bernard of Fontcaude's report on Waldensian views about women and preaching. Key elements of the debate reappeared later in Lollard controversy, though by a twist of irony the Lollards rejected those very legends of female saints which, within orthodoxy, so strongly substantiated the public preaching role for women which orthodoxy continued to prohibit. [Reproduced by permission of the University of California Press.]
Related Resources:
Author's Affiliation: University of Wales, Lampeter
Conference Info: - , -
Year of Publication: 1995.
Language: English
ISSN/ISBN: 00835897