Bill and others,
Many thanks for the references connecting holy wells/springs to holy
water. I feel better now about making that association (which seems
logical enough, but one always wants evidence).
Bill, your explanation of Virtue inherent in or acquired by natural
objects is brilliant. I have tried for years, both in print and in
class (just yesterday) to explain this concept and why it is essentially
Christian (and not just some pagan holdover), but you have done it
concisely and with specific examples. Combine this concept with the
notion that words have power to transform objects, and early medieval
Christian practices become crystal clear.
Your example of the parishioner who might have an eye to coveting
the sanctity of your skin was marvelous and directly answers a question
of one of my students about modern Catholics attitudes (and whether
Protestant churches have anything comparable in the way of sanctified
objects). May I use your post in class?
Karen
--
Dr. Karen Jolly
Associate Professor, History
University of Hawai`i at Manoa
[log in to unmask]
http://www2.hawaii.edu/~kjolly
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