medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
We're getting a bit post-medieval here but I'm finding it a fascinating
discussion with great relevance to the question of medieval ideas on
concepts of sanctity. (And since I have to start teaching a new module on
that next week I shall refer them all to this list.)
Meanwhile ... Article 22 of the 39 Articles describes the invocation of
saints as 'a fond thing vainly invented and grounded upon no warranty of
Scripture, but rather repugnant to the word of God'.
But what has become clear from this discussion is the gap between official
doctrine and actual practice. I would agree with Dennis Martin that the
real touchstone is whether you believe that invoking the saints can
actually achieve anything, or whether you simply remember them, with
enormous reverence but an acceptance that they have passed beyond this
world. Nevertheless, invocation of the saints and other 'superstitious'
practices do seem to coexist with a fair amount of Reformed belief in other
matters. Specifically with regard to the rosary: yes, it was of course
frowned upon in the official Elizabethan church but that did not stop
people from using it and it is quite possible that rosaries made their way
to the Americas. There was even a de fact tolerance of the use of rosaries
by local clergy. I have somewhere a reference to a seventeenth-century
Puritan clergyman in south-west Wales who was reduced to imploring his
congregation to use their rosaries prayerfully and with thought.
Maddy
Dr Madeleine Gray, in the foothills of God's golden county of Gwent
(Department of Humanities and Science
UWCN Caerleon Campus
PO Box 179
Newport NP18 3YG
Tel: +44 (0)1633.432675
http://scarab.newport.ac.uk/mg
History at Newport: http://humanities.newport.ac.uk/HIST.html
Gwent County History Association web site:
http://gwent-county-history-association.newport.ac.uk
'Rabbit is Clever', said Pooh. 'Rabbit has Brain. I suppose that's why he
never understands anything.'
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