medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Dear colleagues,
Around my institution enthusiasm is developing in certain corners for the
practice of what is called "the spirituality of the labyrinth." Many will
of course find the labyrinth an appropriate metaphor for much in the
institutional life of colleges and universities, but apparently the
medieval labyrinth is being appropriated for more constructive purposes.
Our resident experts on the labyrinth have not inspired my confidence in
their historical acumen. I would usually cheerfully ignore these things
except that they are asking for money from a grant I administer. I have
found legitimate procedural reasons to turn them down, but they have also
made me realize that what I do know of the labyrinth is fairly stereotyped
and not based on good reading. Further assaults will be held off by
stodgy logic. ("Quakers don't do that sort of thing.") But the ice on
which I skate is growing thinner and I would be grateful for better
information.
So what I'd like to know is whether members of the list can provide
bibliography or perhaps brief synopses of the practices surrounding the
labyrinth at places like Chartres and Amiens. (Art-history bibliography
would be helpful, too.) Do we even know very much about how labyrinths
were used by pilgrims (or by whomever used them)?
The stereotyped images I have involve pilgrims walking through the
labyrinth on their knees, drawing blood if they're lucky, saying the rosary
(!).
Many thanks,
Patrick Nugent.
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Patrick J. Nugent
Earlham College
Richmond, Indiana 47374 USA
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(765) 983-1413
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