medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
On the other hand ...
I do think that (to take an example from a slightly post-med perspective) we are getting a more nuanced appreciation of responses to the Reformation now that we have to some extent moved on from denominational perspectives. In particular we are more aware that you can't put people in neat denominational boxes in the C16 - there's a much more pick-&-mix approach. And I think that's also feeding back into an appreciation of the multivocality of both orthodoxy and heresy in earlier periods.
I have sad memories of a very great and gifted historian who gave me a lot of help earlier in my career but who was finally unable to get outside his own nonconformist upbringing when he wrote a book on the Reformation in Wales. It should have been the crowning achievement of his life's work but eventually it was something of a disappointment.
 
Maddy
 
Dr Madeleine Gray
Reader in History
School of Education/Ysgol Addysg
University of Wales, Newport/Prifysgol Cymru, Casnewydd
Caerleon Campus/Campws Caerllion,
Newport/Casnewydd  NP18 3QT Tel: +44 (0)1633.432675
 
'You may not be able to change the world but at least you can embarrass the guilty'
(Jessica Mitford)

From: medieval-religion - Scholarly discussions of medieval religious culture on behalf of Marjorie Greene
Sent: Sun 20/09/2009 10:08 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [M-R] Believers as Historians

medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Doctissimi,

I would first like to thank the person who mentioned Margaret Visser's Geometry of Love, which I am now happily devouring. I'll head straight for Sta Agnese f.l.M. the next time I'm in Rome to see all I missed and to see it, I hope, through Visser's eyes.
Early in her text, she makes the following startling (to me) statement:
"A friend who is a well-known art historian once told me how, as a student, she had been assured by her colleagues that any scholarly accomplishment in the area of Christian art was out of the question for her because she was a 'believer'".
Is this a common attitude? It suggests that an historian of anything must be some sort of emotional blank slate, with no affective stake in or concern with what s/he is writing about. I'm trained in literary critical theory and practice. No one ever told me that my work on Christian authors would be worthless since I'm a believer. I find the notion absurd.
Any comments?
MG

Marjorie Greene
http://medrelart.shutterfly.com/

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