Jesus through Medieval Eyes: Beholding Christ with the Artists, Mystics, and Theologians of the Middle Ages

by Grace Hamman

C.S. Lewis noted that the church has a Whenever Christians are brainstorming together about who Jesus is and who we are, we go out and read mostly people who agree with us, or who live in our same time and place. It's hard to separate the cultural wheat from the chaff. But what happens when we do read people's answers to Jesus's question from the past lives and places of the church--people who may be wholly unlike us? Who is Jesus? What is he like? And who am I, encountering Jesus? The answers will surprise you. Jesus through Medieval Eyes , by Grace Hamman, looks to the Christians of the Middle Ages, to a time and culture dissimilar to our own, for their answers to these questions. Medieval Europeans were also suffering through pandemics, dealing with political and ecclesial corruption and instability, and reckoning with gender, money, and power. Yet their concerns and imaginations are unlike ours. Their ideas, narratives, and art about Jesus open up paradoxically fresh and ancient ways to approach and adore Christ--and reveal where our own cultural ideals about the Messiah fall short. In thoughtful and accessible chapters, medievalist scholar Grace Hamman explores and meditates upon medieval representations of Jesus in theology and literature. These representations of Jesus span from the familiar, like Jesus as the Judge at the End of Days, or Jesus as the Lover of the Song of Songs, to the more unusual, like Jesus as Our Mother. Through the words of medieval people like Julian of Norwich, St. Bernard of Clairvaux, Margery Kempe, and St. Thomas Aquinas, we meet these faces of Jesus and find renewed ways to love the Savior, in the words of St. Augustine, that "beauty so ancient and so new."

Genres: Theology, History, Nonfiction, Christian, Religion, Medieval, Christianity

208 pages, Hardcover

Published October 31, 2023

Reviews

[Suzannah Rowntree · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am something of an amateur medievalist myself, so going into this book I was both interested and somewhat curious to see how much of what's in the book would be new to me. I have focused on the military and political history of the crusades between 1097 and 1291, however, rather than the history of religious thought throughout the period, so while parts of the book were familiar to me (I first stumbled over the "Quia Amore Langueo" lyric in 2015, for instance, and it's stuck in my mind ever since), there was much that was rich and new to me.

I appreciated much about this book - as a devotional, it blends history and scripture with modern-day application. I found myself tearing up in every chapter at the richness of medieval faith. The modern-day application is perhaps inevitably overshadowed by 21st century US politics, but given that contemporary Americans will be the primary audience, that's understandable - and the final chapter, with its focus on compassion and contrition, provided a welcome balm after a tumultuous couple of weeks in which I've seen the name of Christ repeatedly invoked to condemn any empathy or care for immigrants and other vulnerable people. I particularly appreciated that Hammam retrieves an emphasis on Christian suffering that impels us towards care for others.

Most of all, however, I appreciated the conclusion, brief though it was. Here, Hammam challenges us towards a more radical appreciation of how, as believers and member's of Christ's actual Body we represent him to the world around us; of how the people around us in their needs and weaknesses represent an opportunity for us to minister to Christ in them. We live during a peculiar time, in which highly influential slabs of American evangelicalism have embraced a notion of Christian action in the world that is top-down and power-driven. I worry that many other Christians, in rightful horror of this power-worshipping cult, will react into a pietistic view of Christianity that eschews action altogether, along with any hope of Christian social justice within history. And I'm grateful that Hammam ends the book with a reminder that the Body of Christ is not just an abstract idea, but something embodied within the words and deeds of each of us.

EDITED TO ADD: A friend who is also reading this book informs me that I have the author's name wrong. She does NOT have the Arabic surname حمّام, meaning "bath". In retrospect, the pronunciation with the accent on the first rather than the second syllable, the lack of any Arabic representation in the Acknowledgements, and the way the author's name is spelled, ought to have tipped me off to this. However I also just now ascended two flights of stairs with my knitting, while forgetting to bring the ball of attached yarn with me, so that's the sort of evening we seem to be having, folks.

[W.R. Gingell · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book is amazing in its own right, and absolutely perfect as a chaser to Amy Peeler's "Women and the Gender of God", something i discovered completely by accident on my part and no doubt Providence in reality.

i was brought to tears at least a few times, especially during the chapters on "Christ as a mother", and "Christ as the wounded God"; the earlier chapters are just as thoroughly digestible, wise, and eye-opening, and while i bounced off the "Christ as a lover" chapter, i believe that's got more to do with me and where i am right now than it does with the excellence of that chapter.

i'm looking forward to reading this book again in the very near future, probably in conjunction with Amy Peeler's once more.

i added this book to my list bc this year is my year of finally reading female theologians--something i was always highly discouraged from. i can't express the salve to my soul that this and other books by older, wise women have been--and how much i believe the church these days needs the voices of godly women to be raised in teaching. this book gave me pieces that have been missing for years. thoroughly recommended.

[Alex McEwen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book, although it didn't meet my initial expectations. It struggles to define its identity, wavering between an academic exploration of Medieval culture, art history, devotional literature, and a political manifesto. Yet, perhaps this ambiguity adds to the fun of the read. Fundamentally at its core, the book encourages readers to approach Medieval theology with an open mind.

The book is structured into easily digestible chapters, each examining different depictions of Jesus in Medieval art, literature, or theology and their implications for the broader cultural understanding of Jesus at the time. Each chapter concludes with practical devotional material to aid readers in internalizing these insights.

Most of the chapters are helpful and will certainly lead modern readers to more robust understandings of Christ. My favorite parts of the book are when Hammon talks about how weird and fun examining medieval art and culture is. However, there were a couple of chapters that were very sensual, and may have erred on being irreverent. However, Hammon’s argument was that we should be open to what the medievals have to say but not necessarily uncritical of them. And with that said, we don’t need to throw the baby out with the bathwater because we still have quite a bit to learn about Christ as lover and mother.

My main issue with this text was that Hamman continuously used modern examples to help modern readers relate to the medieval mindset. And almost all of her modern examples are colored with hot button issues and almost political commentary. For a book inviting us to examine medieval theology it seemed odd how in line Hamman’s medieval theology looked like modern liberal theology.

I think I was really hoping this would be an examination of medieval theology and culture. However, it really wasn’t that. It was mostly a modern political commentary that used the Medievals to make a modern point. That said, I learned a lot about the Medievals in this work and don’t want to miss that because of my issues with the way Hamman communicates this material. I will also say, hearing Hamman talk about this work and what she meant for it when she appears on various podcasts helped me be more generous with it. I think having Hamman’s own contextualization of the work was helpful in understanding it when she is taking 2 pages to make modern arguments against the modern patriarchy.

I probably won’t be rereading this one, but am glad I read it at least once.

[Joy Chalaby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review coming soon, but this was truly a wonderful read.

[Melody Schwarting · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was one of my most anticipated releases of 2023 and it lived up to the hype! Hamman considers ways medieval people meditated on Jesus, both in image and word. Jesus through Medieval Eyes is very approachable, and is one I'd recommend to those without a background in church history. I am notorious for forgetting how strange the medieval/ancient world can be for us modern-day folk, but Hamman doesn't, and gently leads the reader through the labyrinth of medieval spirituality.

Some of the images I expected to see--Jesus as lover, mother, wounded God--and others were surprising to me--knight, good medieval Christian. Each chapter is concluded with suggestions for meditation and practice, followed by a prayer. Some prayers are historical, and some written by Hamman. (See one from St Anselm below.) Occasionally, I found Hamman's linkage with our modern world a bit on-the-nose, but that's probably a me problem. I like it when authors leave things ambiguous, freeing the reader to discern. However, that doesn't always fly in trade publishing, and I didn't find Hamman's thoughts wrong or unhelpful, just a bit obvious. Yet, there's a difference between making your reader want to meditate on a image of Jesus to understand it, and explaining it so much that the reader doesn't feel the need to meditate further.

I enjoyed the color section of medieval art and manuscripts, and also that high-quality black and white copies of the images were included with the text. I didn't have to flip back and forth all the time and could revisit the full-color images at leisure. Hamman also pulls from a wide range of medieval sources, not just the usual suspects, and I flagged quite a few that I would like to explore on my own.

Overall, I would highly recommend Jesus through Medieval Eyes for those seeking to understand Christianity in medieval Europe, and to anyone seeking fresh ways to see Jesus.

-----

From "Jesus as Mother," a prayer from St Anselm of Canterbury, quoted on page 133:

Christ, mother, who gathers under your wings your little ones, your dead chick seeks refuge under your wings. For by your gentleness, those who are hurt are comforted; by your perfume, the despairing are reformed. Your warmth resuscitates the dead; your touch justifies sinners...Console your chicken, resuscitate your dead one, justify your sinner. May your injured one be consoled by you; may he or she who of his or herself despairs be comforted by you and reformed through you in your complete and unceasing grace. For the consolation of the wretched flows from you, blessed, world without end. Amen.

[Olivia · Rating 2 out of 5]

I do want to start off my review by saying that the author possesses a great wealth of medieval facts, and has clearly read a great deal of primary medieval texts. She seems like a kind person and I do believe that she was well intentioned in what she was trying to communicate, but there was an undercurrent of feminism and woke theology that, frankly, overwhelmed the better aspects of this book. I thought this book would be more of an analysis of what medievals thought about Christ, when it was in actuality about 10% medieval thought and 90% woke ideology. As a fellow lover of CS Lewis, and Tolkien, I think this book missed the mark.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful overview of several metaphors used for Jesus in the Middle Ages. Some well-known and some very unfamiliar to us today. Each one was intriguing and enough of a deep dive to get a good sense of the metaphor while also being brief enough to be digestible. A great read for someone looking for a fresh page in your study of Jesus.

[SarahO · Rating 5 out of 5]

Until the last few years, I did not know much about the Medieval church. Honestly, I thought it was pretty weird and viewed it with no little suspicion. Now, I still find them a bit weird but I've come to embrace the weirdness and settled down to learn from these spiritual ancestors.

"Jesus through Medieval Eyes" is separated into 8 chapters, each one focusing on a different aspect of Jesus, such as Judge, Knight, Lover, Word, etc. It was really interesting to see the forgotten ways Christians have related to Jesus. The "Doom" paintings, depicting Jesus as Judge, show all sorts of people, (nobles, merchants, peasants, etc) either condemned or saved, not respecting rank, ethnicity, or gender.

The "Lover" chapter was probably the most uncomfortable, but even then there was something to learn. The one I probably found the most intriguing was Jesus as Mother. Stick with me now, there are many examples in scripture that does use mother language. Jesus himself uses the metaphor of a mother hen gathering her chicks. I'm so use to hearing him described as friend/brother/Lord that it was a bit of a change, though not a bad one. I'll leave you to read the book and discover more for yourself.

[Kris · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's mostly devotional and reflective. She considers different ways medieval Christians viewed Christ, and talks about how we could incorporate some of their ideas into our personal devotional life. I was looking for something more academic and historic--with more names, dates, and details. But it's fine, for what it is.

[Ari's library · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 ⭐️

I am sad to say that I was very disappointed with this book, so much so that I could not finish its last pages.

I expected a nice and detailed study of Jesus through the eyes and minds of medieval artists, authors and theologians, as the title seems to suggest, but this book only seemed to be a collection of the personal reflexions of a contemporary Christian through what she understood and knew of medieval thought and art. I was, for example, very surprised by the quantity of personal anecdotes and subjective parallels, as well as the number of ‘I’ and ‘We’, contrasting with most historians who rarely talk about themselves in their book as they are not the subject of it. I often felt that the medieval references served as a basis for the author to share her own thoughts on the person of Christ and I was dissatisfied that the medieval thought was presented, looked at, but not entered.

For example, as the author quoted St Julian of Norwich, she shared the fact that the mystic asked Christ for “wounds” and how strange it seemed for the contemporary Christian and reader, how “she”, as the author would react, if she heard something like this. First of all, it is neither surprising, shocking or strange for the contemporary Catholic reader to read something like this, as saints sharing the wounds and participating spiritually with the passion of Christ are still found in the 20th century’s mystics. And second of all, one would have expected, maybe, a bit more attention given to the way medieval saints and authors saw and lived the passion, as well as the effect on their spirituality and relationship with the Lord. Also, a very large portion of the book was dedicated to convince the reader of the validity and importance of reading medieval Christians (or as they are also called, Catholics of the Middle Ages) showing that the target audience is one unfamiliar, or generally not too interested, with this subject. And, indeed, the specialist and the simple Middle-age enthusiast will be left hungry.

In conclusion, I feel like I learned far more about Grace Hamman and her thoughts than I did about the authentic medieval gaze on Our Savior. I would not recommend this book to a medieval enthusiast, a history buff or a very well-informed Catholic but if one, very unfamiliar with the medieval world, has a passing interest or curiosity on the subject, he or she may find themselves satisfied.

[Ella Edelman · Rating 3 out of 5]

As the subtitle of this book might suggest, I was hoping to be left with a roadmap to the seminal thinkers and theologians of the Medieval period to guide further reading, but its focus was rather on the ways they understood Jesus that might be unfamiliar to modern Christians. This was valuable and really moving in places, but perhaps the book could have been longer to build out the stories of figures that remain a little obscure to me. I loved the encouragement to look at Jesus through metaphors we don't encounter often, especially that of Jesus as the Mother and the Knight, and the many pieces of Medieval art included to illustrate them. The bibliography is a treasure trove, and I will be checking it again before I return the book to my library.

It is ironic that my main criticism of a book about Medieval believers is that Hamman seems at pains to make connections between that age and our own, with what are such modern, almost zeitgeist-y comparisons that I was both taken out of the book and given little room to come to such revelations on my own. Her point seems to be that although our whole world is different than that of Julian of Norwich and Margery Kempe, their faith and the expression of that faith is timeless. Even though I ultimately agree with most, if not all the examples Hamman draws from our political and cultural moment, it results in a book that feels bound to this moment, which for its subject matter, seems somewhat mismatched.

That said, I would 100% reread the book because the prayers Hamman quotes are stunning. One now lives on a sticky note on my rearview mirror. Another line from a prayer in the chapter about Jesus as a Mother reads "Console your chicken," and I have stolen that for myself, thank you very much, Anselm of Canterbury. :)

[Mimi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy Grace’s Podcast and am geekily excited that I get to see her on a Zoom call in January. Lovely ways to contemplate how Christ was contemplated during the Medieval West in word, ideas, and art. My most recent toothbrush book.

[Mary Ruth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Her medieval scholarship is very good and I would have liked to hear more from her on that. It will be a good bibliographic source for me.

The moralizing that she grew up disliking, came back on her. She did not recognize her own moralizing. It is never good to spoon feed the digested moral at the end of an excellent discourse. Only Aesop gets away with it.

She needs to trust the work of the material on the mind of the reader. Let them chew on it, relax in the time period, and come up with their own applications in their lives.

[Dave Weathers · Rating 1 out of 5]

I’m going to try and review every book I read this year.

Starting with this one, I can confidently say things can only improve from here.

The title grabbed my attention and the page length was short enough to give it a shot without much of a background check. It became quickly apparent that the content of the book did not match its title, or at least how the title set my expectations for the book.

I would have expected the premise of the book be an exploration of how medieval perspectives on Jesus could deepen our understanding of His teachings today. Ideally, it would first present what Jesus says about Himself in the Bible, and then use that to (1) strip away falsehoods encroaching on both modern and medieval beliefs about Jesus through comparison between eras and to (2) encourage readers to recognize the God that transcends both eras. If anyone knows of a book that fits that actually does this, let me know.

Instead, most of the book felt like an exercise in retrofitting modern liberal (in the religious more than political sense) theology into a medieval framework. The author seemed determined to assert that modern liberal ideas have long-held precedent in the church. Many times, this forced a reinterpretation of medieval orthodox beliefs that stretch them beyond recognition. She even admits that many of the Medieval writers she adores would vehemently reject her beliefs. In the few cases where Hamman finds actual alignment, it’s more a proof that heresy was as pervasive then as it is now.

Ultimately, this books shallow engagement with scripture left me disappointed.

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

Part history and part devotional, Jesus through Medieval Eyes offered a new perspective on the Savior through the lens of the past and how medieval Christian’s viewed Him, and on ourselves, too.

[Abigail Borland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another unrushed audio listen, with notebook and pen in hand. I fell in love with medieval literature freshman year when I read Julian of Norwich (and a host of other medieval women writers) for an English class. Reading the Christian mystics in Middle English through an academic literary lens? I was sold! And studying “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” sophomore year was simply the nail in my coffin. I will personally joust anyone who refers to the “Dark Ages” of AD 500-1300.

Grace Hamman’s book felt like going on a coffee date with a professor I could listen to for hours - she brings personal anecdotes of her experiences with each of the medieval metaphors of Jesus that she explores (Jesus as the wounded God, as the knight “come to fight withouten shield or speare,” as our mother and lover, as judge, and more) alongside sharp close readings and scholarly exploration. I jotted down so many names of medieval mystics, works of art, poetry, and illuminated manuscripts that I have been going down rabbit holes of the Internet to uncover and explore more. I love how each chapter ended with a meditative practice - a passage of Scripture on which to reflect, a piece of sacred music to enjoy. It made her book devotional, not just instructional.

Highly recommend for anyone wanting to dip their toes into the world of medieval spirituality - Grace Hamman is a worthy Dantean guide.

[Pierce Gillard · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is easy to recommend, even as it is hardly an easy read, not for it's clarity, but for its content. Prickly and consistently thought provoking--I will wish to return to this frequently in the future. I loved all of this, even as I found some of or deeply strange or alien to me, uncomfortable, but not discomforting. I love the peek into history and perspectives from many voices often left out of the larger tapestry of time shared within my own cultural space. I also just loved Hamman's writing--often, it felt like she was speaking directly to me, and the things I share with her in terms of theological background and pop-culture contexts certainly helped. As I commented to my wife, "It feels like she's been reading all of the things I've been reading!" It also reminded me of why I loved art history classes in school.

[Ange Lee]

I do not possess the language to communicate the degree of Christological atrocities levied in this book.

From the perspective of an academic, it is a fascinating analysis. From the perspective of one fascinated by aesthetics, it is an oversimplification. From the perspective of a professing Christian, it’s just wild.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a medievalist, I love this book. As a Christian, I think many should read it. The post-Reformation bias has kept many from reading works Hamman interacts with, and they are the poorer for it. The humanity of Jesus is front and center in the Middle Ages, and it is beautiful.

[Brianna Bratrud]

Just pre-ordered to read along with the author!

[Martish · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have had a long fascination with medieval history that started when I saw the the gothic cathedrals in Europe as a student. This book also had much to offer to today’s Christians and I found myself underlining passages. The chapter that most resonated with me was the one on the Good Medieval Christian and how we today are projecting our values whatever they are onto Jesus. Having recently visited the Sonoran desert I love the saguaro cactus analogy near the end of the book.

[Mark VanderWerf · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delight of a book - short and very accessible, even devotional. As the author states, the book is "a conversation with [medieval] literature, history, and theology" about the timeless question that Jesus posed - and poses - "Who do you say I am?" She explores this question alongside people she frequently calls "friends and teachers" - people like Julian of Norwich, Bernard of Clairvaux, Thomas Aquinas, and Mechthild of Magdeburg as well as artists and poets. Each presents a different image of Jesus: the Judge, the Lover, the Word, the Wounded God, and the Mother.

"Reading old books in this humble mode creates space for actual community with these ancient witnesses of love. We are given the gift of dialogue with the past - a past saturated in beauty and love of Christ. ... As we gaze at these medieval faces of Jesus, we learn to wait patiently, as a narrative or image may at first seem inaccessible or bizarre. We learn to listen, as we encounter beliefs wildly different from our own but that still profess love for the incarnate God. We learn to ask questions insistently and excitedly again, like a child. And like in any friendship, as we wait, listen, and question, we form community and learn other forms of loving well" (17-18).

[Chesca · Rating 4 out of 5]

An intriguing work. The author approaches the European medieval views of Jesus with a compelling combination of modern (current) sensibilities, personal love for Jesus, deep research, and a warm, generous curiosity. You will do well to read this with a similar generous curiosity, because it is an eye-widening ride at times! It’s really interesting and has a bit of devotional aspect to it that is lovely.

Chapter 9 contained my biggest takeaway: an encouragement to humility in our expression of Christianity today. It is so easy to point out where Christians of the past got it wrong, but instead of feeling superior, we should cultivate a sobered, humble posture—what will be said of us in a few hundred years from now? And in that humility, we can still glean valuable insights from our spiritual kin of the past.

The audio narration is read by the author and adds a gentle, wry humor that you might miss if only reading.

[Philemon Schott · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ich hatte vorher schon Jesus through Middle Eastern Eyes, Paul through Mediterranen Eyes und Misreading Scripture with Individualist Eyes gelesen (jetzt fehlt nur Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes :D). Das hat meine Erwartungen für das Buch hier natürlich geprägt. Während die erwähnten Bücher alle stark exegetisch und soziologisch bzw. anthropologisch und damit mehr einen populärwissenschaftlichen bis wissenschaftlichen Anspruch hatten, war Jesus through Medieval Eyes sehr viel stärker für Andachten konzipiert (im Englischen vielleicht pointierter: devotional). Es gab zwar auch viel Wissen über die mittelalterlichen Konzepte, Personen u.Ä., mündete aber dann viel stärker in eine predigtartige Applikation mit viel Geschichten aus dem Leben der Autorin und alles in einem evangelikal-frommen Ton. Für Predigten oder persönliche Meditationen ist das Buch dann sicher auch sehr spannend, aber nur um mittelalterliche Konzeptionen von Jesus kennenzulernen fehlte mir doch irgendwie etwas.

[Drew Correll · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a beautiful book surveying the medieval church and how they beheld God in a multitude of different ways. Hamman did a wonderful job looking at the perspectives of the Medieval Church/theologians without taking everything that they said or thought as Gospel truth. She did a great job of what some have called "eating the meat and spitting the bone out." She obviously is a large advocate for medieval christianity and medieval thought, yet she did not let her bias overrun her writing style nor her content. Hamman did a good job seeing what things out of their views (and some of them were wacky!) were productive for us to take and at the same time calling us out for the faults that we have as well. Plus the paintings were an awesome addition!

[Caroline Liberatore-Logan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Superb content, a bit middling in terms of presentation. While it is good and right that Hamman is writing directly to 21st-century, Western-minded readers, there were moments when the full magnitude of these ideas were hindered by the perceived audience. This was a helpful guide in identifying the many caricatures of medieval artwork and stories that will aid me in individual study.

[Red · Rating 3 out of 5]

A solid read for anyone wanting to understand more about how Christians in the medieval world framed their understanding of Christ/God/The Holy Spirit and the language and practices that supported those beliefs.

[Carolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book I plan to come back to re-read, which is rare for me. Educational while also personally engaging and convicting, I found Hamman's writing engaging and accessible.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

Somewhere around 2.75 stars? There is some good stuff in here. But it's a case of "you need to eat the meat and spit out the bones".

[Rebecca Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed learning about medieval approaches to Christ in this book. The included art is wonderful and her descriptions and references to it very helpful. I especially appreciated the introduction, seeing how we can learning from diverse perspectives about Christ even within our own culture. This book is helpful especially if you want some background before tackling some medieval works on your own. I definitely learned a lot and appreciated understanding the thoughts, habits and practices of our brothers and sisters in Christ from long ago.