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Rebellious Nuns: The Troubled History of a Mexican Convent, 1752-1863
Nuns are hardly associated in the popular mind with rebellion and turmoil. In fact, convents have often been the scenes of conflict, but what went on behind the walls of convents was meant by the church to be mysterious. Great care was taken to prevent the "scandal" of factionalism in the nunneries from becoming widely known. This has made it very difficult to reconstruct the battles fought, the issues debated, and the relationships tested in such convents. Margaret Chowning has discovered a treasure-trove of documents that allow an intimate look at two crises that wracked the convent of La Purísima Concepción in San Miguel el Grande, New Spain (Mexico). At the heart of both rebellions were attempts by some nuns to impose a regimen of strict observance of their vows on the others, and the resistance mounted by those who had a different view of the convent and their own role in it. Would the community adopt as austere a lifestyle as they could endure, doing manual labor,
suffering hunger and physical discomfort, deprived of the society of family and friends? Or would these women be allowed to lead comfortable and private lives when not at prayer? Accusations and counteraccusations flew. First one side and then the other seemed to have the upper hand. For a time, a mysterious and dramatic illness broke out among the rebellious nuns, capturing the limelight. Were they faking? Were they unconsciously influenced by their ringleader, the charismatic and manipulative young women who first experienced the "mal"? Rebellious Nuns covers the history of the convent from its founding in 1752 to the forced eviction of the nuns in 1863. While the period of rebellion is at the center of the narrative, Chowning also gives an account of the factors that led up to the crises and the rebellion's continuing repercussions on the convent in the decades to follow. Drawing on an abundance of sources, including numerous letters written by the bishop and local vicar as well as
nuns of both factions, Chowning is able to give us not just the voices but the personalities of the nuns and other actors. In this way she makes it possible for us to empathize with all of them and to appreciate the complicated dynamics of having committed your life not only to God but to your community.
suffering hunger and physical discomfort, deprived of the society of family and friends? Or would these women be allowed to lead comfortable and private lives when not at prayer? Accusations and counteraccusations flew. First one side and then the other seemed to have the upper hand. For a time, a mysterious and dramatic illness broke out among the rebellious nuns, capturing the limelight. Were they faking? Were they unconsciously influenced by their ringleader, the charismatic and manipulative young women who first experienced the "mal"? Rebellious Nuns covers the history of the convent from its founding in 1752 to the forced eviction of the nuns in 1863. While the period of rebellion is at the center of the narrative, Chowning also gives an account of the factors that led up to the crises and the rebellion's continuing repercussions on the convent in the decades to follow. Drawing on an abundance of sources, including numerous letters written by the bishop and local vicar as well as
nuns of both factions, Chowning is able to give us not just the voices but the personalities of the nuns and other actors. In this way she makes it possible for us to empathize with all of them and to appreciate the complicated dynamics of having committed your life not only to God but to your community.
- GenresReligion
296 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2005
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
December 29, 2020
Fascinating and enlightening
A great work of scholarship and historic reconstruction from a previously unknown archive. Realizing I had visited this convent on a trip to San Miguel in 2015 aroused my interest in the story, and the personalities of the people involved came alive.
Though this story reflects perhaps the exception rather than the rule regarding convent life in colonial Mexico, it provides real insight into the convent economy and the motivations of the women who became nuns and of their families.
A great work of scholarship and historic reconstruction from a previously unknown archive. Realizing I had visited this convent on a trip to San Miguel in 2015 aroused my interest in the story, and the personalities of the people involved came alive.
Though this story reflects perhaps the exception rather than the rule regarding convent life in colonial Mexico, it provides real insight into the convent economy and the motivations of the women who became nuns and of their families.
September 7, 2017
Have you ever woken up and said to yourself, "Boy oh boy, I want to read a 300-page book about 18th century Mexican nuns?" Neither did I, but I found this book and figured I'd give it a shot.
The book has a basic structure - the beginning provides the background, a small overview, and some of the key themes, and the rest of the book follows a largely narrative structure of just examining the events and documentation. Every few pages there is a small section where the author provides context or further explanation, but in general the focus is on the written documents.
The book isn't bad - I was especially drawn in to the fascinating descriptions of how monastic life evolved over the course of the 17th to 19th centuries - but it was a little long. I gave this book a 3 because there were a lot of times when I wished it picked up the pace - it would have been much more enjoyable if it was 100 pages shorter.
If you are really interested in the history of monastic life, then sure, give it a shot. But if the title doesn't wow you, then the book probably won't win you over.
The book has a basic structure - the beginning provides the background, a small overview, and some of the key themes, and the rest of the book follows a largely narrative structure of just examining the events and documentation. Every few pages there is a small section where the author provides context or further explanation, but in general the focus is on the written documents.
The book isn't bad - I was especially drawn in to the fascinating descriptions of how monastic life evolved over the course of the 17th to 19th centuries - but it was a little long. I gave this book a 3 because there were a lot of times when I wished it picked up the pace - it would have been much more enjoyable if it was 100 pages shorter.
If you are really interested in the history of monastic life, then sure, give it a shot. But if the title doesn't wow you, then the book probably won't win you over.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews