On Fri, 26 Jul 1996, Thomas Izbicki wrote:
> Felicity Jones has opened a theme which has intrigued me for years. It
> goes beyond the involvement of women in condemned movements to their role
> in several new movements - including those authorized by Rome - in the
> period which we are discussing. The place of women in the early history
> of the Dominicans is an example relevant to my own interest in the friars,
> but others come to mind. Women often seem to be very involved in the
> early stages of a movement, only to be fitted into more traditional roles
> (like being cloistered) as an order is formed. (Hinnebush also quotes a
> friar as saying that the Dominicans should not become merely chaplains to
> nuns. *My paraphase.*)
>
Could you please elaborate on the role of women and the Dominicans before
the Dominicans were (rigorously) organized? My thesis is on Bishop
Foulques of Toulouse, who was highly involved in the creation of
Prouille, and I am planning on devoting a chapter to his involvement with
female religiousity (since it seems to have been a concern of his). My
impresion is that Prouille was exceptional, and I know very little of the
later female houses save for that by the second half of the thirteenth
century the Dominicans preaching handbooks (I think!) start showing a
great deal of anxiety over the affect of female contact for Friars... In
short, women become a problem since, although they should be allowed to
confess, they threaten the spiritual welfare of the Friar.
The whole issue of women religious in the 12th and 13th c. is
fascinating, since they do seem to have presented such a problem. It is
ironic that the Dominicans, who were founded to counter the "Heretical
menace" in the Languedoc, should have become disinterested in the
creation of outlets for female religiousity (if indeed this is the
case). One might argue (I would!) that one of the reasons for the
apparent popularity of Catharism among women, those who actually were
perfected, was probably linked to the dearth of other outlets for female
religious in the region.
Felicity, you must know a great deal more about these issues, what do
you think?
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Omittamus studia, dulce est desipere, : Nicole Morgan Schulman
et carpamus dulcia, iuventutis tenere! : [log in to unmask]
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