IMC 2003: Sessions
Session 313: Religious Women Expressing Normative Authority, III
Monday 14 July 2003, 16.30-18.00
Organiser: | Maiju Lehmijoki-Gardner, Department of Theology, Loyola University Maryland / Department of Church History, University of Helsinki |
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Moderator/Chair: | Letha Böhringer, Stadtarchiv Köln |
Paper 313-a | The Application of the Third Franciscan Rule in the Diocese of Utrecht (Language: English) Index terms: Religious Life, Women's Studies |
Paper 313-b | The History of the Dominican Penitent Rule: A Rule for Women's Communities? (Language: English) Index terms: Religious Life, Women's Studies |
Paper 313-c | Writing of Rules as a Long Process: Italian Penitent Women and their Books of Rules (Language: English) Index terms: Religious Life, Women's Studies |
Abstract | These three sessions address the ways in which medieval women were able to exercise normative authority within their religious communities. Traditionally the writing of rules ("regulae") and other normative texts are seen as products of hierachical, clerical authority. The sessions "Religious Women Expressing Normative Authority" suggest that women were actively involved in the matters concerning their own ways of religious life; they could take part in the creation of the rules and other normative texts by soliciting them, by looking at ways to adapt universal rules to their particular needs or choosing to ignore some form of legislation, and even by participating directly in the writing of the rules and other texts offering religious guidance. |