Performance and female preaching in late medieval and early modern Europe
Professor Carolyn A Muessig is Professor of Medieval Religion at the University of Bristol. She writes about her topic:
Francis of Assisi (d. 1226) once preached to nuns about penance by sitting down on the floor, pouring ashes on his head, then suddenly leaving with barely saying a word. This exceptional example of male preaching proves the rule for female preaching — action over words sometimes created the most powerful sermon. This paper will argue that the key to recognizing female participation in late medieval and early modern preaching is to understand the diverse methods of communication that women used to ‘preach’ sermons. Like Francis they employed gestures and mime to convey theological ideas. In particular, they relied on key New Testament narratives to articulate through movement some of the most fundamental Christian beliefs such as the incarnation, resurrection and redemption. Examples of women who preached in performative ways will include the Dominican observant nun Tommasina Fieschi (1448-1534) and the Dominican tertiary Stefana Quinzani (1457-1530).

Followed by a drinks reception in Room 2.
Date: 12 June 2018, 17:00 (Tuesday, 8th week, Trinity 2018)
Venue: Taylor Institution, St Giles' OX1 3NA
Venue Details: Main Hall
Speaker: Carolyn A. Muessig (Bristol)
Booking required?: Not required
Audience: Members of the University only
Editor: Laura Spence