Medieval Monastic Preaching

by Carolyn Muessig

This study presents research by specialists of monastic history, literature, and spirituality. Covering the period from 1150 to 1500, this volume demonstrates that monastic preaching was not only carried out in the cloister by monks, but also in public arenas by monks and nuns. The topics range from questioning if the sermons of Bernard of Clairvaux were ever preached, to an analysis of Hildegard of Bingen's preaching against the Cathars. Sermons addressed to monastic communities by secular preachers are also analysed. The diversity of monastic preaching - e.g., cloistered preaching, preaching against heretics, preaching by heretical monks, preaching by nuns - and a geographical range of monastic pastoral history is studied. "Medieval Monastic Preaching" offers a preliminary step in understanding how sermons and preaching shaped monastic identity in the Middle Ages.

384 pages, Leather Bound

First published September 1, 1998

Reviews

[Mir]

I've only read one essay from this collection: Catherine Mooney's "Authority and Inspiration in the Vitae and Sermons of Humility." Humility was a nun of high social class who around 1310 began preaching sermons. She was also said to perform miracles.

Related scholarship: Consolation of the Blessed, Beverly Kienzle, Adele Simonetti, Angela Felini.