The Hidden History of Women's Ordination: Female Clergy in the Medieval West

276 Pages·2007·2.02 MB·English

by  Gary Macy

The Hidden History
of Women’s Ordination
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The Hidden History
of Women’s
Ordination
Female Clergy in the Medieval West
gary macy
1
2007
3
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Macy,Gary.
Thehiddenhistoryofwomen’sordination:femaleclergyinthe
medievalWest/GaryMacy.
p. cm.
Includesbibliographicalreferencesandindex.
ISBN978-0-19-518970-4
1. Ordinationofwomen—Europe—History—To1500. 2. Ordination—
Historyofdoctrines—MiddleAges,600–1500. I. Title.
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Preface
The factthat women were ordained for the first twelvehundred
yearsofChristianitywillsurprisemanypeople.Itsurprisedmewhen
I first discoveredit. Some of the people interestedin learning about
this deliberately hidden history will be scholars, specialists such as
myself.Given the heated debates over the ordination of women in
severalChristian communities, however,thetopic is likely to be of
interest to many nonspecialists as well.
These two audiences, however, have different needs. Scholars
will quite rightly demand to know on what grounds I am making
the claims and interpretations that the book offers. Such argumen-
tation requires accurate bibliographic references to and quotations
from both the original sources as well as the secondary sources
cited in the book. I have provided these necessary proofs in the
original language. They are relegated, however, to the notes.
For most readers, this specialized information is inaccessible.
Many don’t read the Latin of the primary sources, and the second-
ary studies are often obscure texts difficult to obtain and decipher.
For those readers I have tried to provide either a translation or para-
phrase in the text of most of the Latin quotations cited. All the trans-
lations are mine unless indicated otherwise. Whenever possible, I
have also directed readers to English translations of the Latin docu-
ments used in the study. When English translations are available
forthesecondarysourcesthatIcite,Iprovideaninitialreferencetothe
source in its original language and then cite the English translation.
viii preface
Thisdoublereferencingcanbecumbersome,Iadmit.Itseemedthebest
way,though,tomakethebookasaccessibleaspossibletoeveryoneinterested
in the topic whatever their training in history and languages. Nevertheless, I
readilyadmitanulteriormotiveandthatisadesiretosharemyownsheerjoy
of discovery. Not only do I want to introduce such fascinating sources to the
wider audience they deserve, but I would also like to infect the uninfected
reader with the delightful addiction of scholarship. Come on in, I would like
tosuggest,thewaterisfine.Andifyouaren’tyettrainedtofacetheheavysurf
ofdeeperwaters,well,therearemarvelousdiscoveriestobemadeintidepools
aswell.Theoceanoflearningisvast,beautiful,mysterious,andonceyouput
your foot in the water, you may find it hard to resist its charms.
One further convention used in this book needs explanation. In ordinary
American English usage, the terms ‘‘continence’’ ‘‘chastity,’’ and ‘‘celibacy’’ are
practicallyinterchangeable.Allgenerallyrefertoabstentionfromsexualactivity,
particularly abstention from sexual intercourse. For the purposes of this study
only,however,thewordswillhavedistinctmeanings,asindeedtheydoinmost
Christian theology. ‘‘Celibacy’’ will refer to the technical state of being unmar-
ried. ‘‘Continence’’ will mean abstention from sexual activity, while ‘‘chastity’’
will mean moral sexual practice within one’s state of life. So, for instance, a
marriedpersonischasteifsheorheperformsintercourseonlywithherorhis
ownspouse,howeversheorheisnotcontinent,andcertainlynotcelibate.
The distinction is important for this study since some clergy during the
MiddleAgeswerechaste,butnotcelibateorcontinent.Theseweretheclergy
who were married and continued to have conjugal relations. Some married
clergy, as we will see, took vows of continence but remained married. These
coupleswouldnotbecelibatebutwouldbebothchasteandcontinent.Ifthey
broke their vows, and resumed conjugal relations, they would still be chaste
but not continent. After the twelfth century, neither deacons nor priests nor
bishops could contract a valid marriage. They were celibate by definition but
were not necessary either continent or chaste, although they were certainly
supposed to be so. Since celibacy was always recognized as a merely disci-
plinarylawofthechurch,butnotadivinecommand,clergycouldbeexempted
from this law. Since they had taken no vows of chastity, as had clergy in re-
ligiousorders,theywereasfreeasanyotherChristiantoliveachaste,andsex-
ually active, married life once the law was lifted. Celibacy, chastity, and
continence,therefore,arecarefullydistinguishedforthepurposesofthebook.
The difference is a bit tricky, but it seemed the best way to make the dis-
tinctions the medievals themselves were making.
Withthesefewcaveatsoutoftheway,Iwouldliketoexpressthegratitude
Iowesomanypeoplewhohavemadethisprojectpossible.First,Iwouldlike
preface ix
tothanktheNationalHumanitiesCenterandtheLuceFoundation.Thebulk
of this book was written while Senior Luce Fellow at the Center. I could not
have had a more pleasant environment in which to work. The staff at the
Center was professional, extremely helpful, and graciously welcoming. My
thanks to everyone there.
ParticularthanksareduetoJoAnnMcNamaraandElizabethClark,who
read what I thought was the finished text of the book. Their many thought-
ful and challenging suggestions strengthened the book. Without their help,
thestudywouldhavebeenmuchthepoorer.Ifthetextmanagestoriseabove
theusual boringscholarly recitation,itisinpartduetoPaul St.Amour, who
readanearlydraftofthebook.Hiscommentshelpedmeseealivelynarrative
in my drudging research.
At different stages of the project, numerous scholars offered critiques,
references to sources, challenges, and encouragement. I owe them all more
than I can say. Marcia Colish, Giles Constable, Mark Zier, Constant Mews,
DavidLuscombe,AlastairMinnis,AnneClark,MichaelClanchy,MarieAnne
Mayeski,J.FrankHenderson,WilliamW.Bassett,DonaldLogan,andTeresa
Berger deserve special mention here.
Allstudiesrelyontheworkofothers,andthisdoesmorethanmost.The
early scholarship of Franz Gillmann, Joan Morris, and Ida Raming laid the
foundations for this book. Without their work this book would not exist. In
truth,thisstudyonlyexpandsandstrengthenstheargumentstheymadequite
some time ago. The notes and discussions will make it apparent how much
I have also relied on more recent studies, especially those of the historians
Jo Ann McNamara, Marie Anne Mayeski, Maureen Miller, Robert Swanson,
Prudence Allen, Anne Barstow, Ute Eisen, John Hilary Martin, Alastair
Minnis, Giorgio Otranto, and Suzanne Wemple, as well as the theologians,
YvesCongar,Pierre-MarieGy,LudwigOtt,andPeterHu¨nermann.ThestoryI
tell is more a report of their findings than any original work of my own.
IalsoneedtothankJaneVia,atrueclerica,aminister,scholar,andfriend
ofmanyyears,who notonlyencouragedme tofinish this work,but also told
meinnouncertaintermsthatIbetterfinishit.Thenthereareallmyfriends
inSanDiegowholistenedpatientlyandendlesslytopresentationsofdifferent
stages of my research.
Mostly,however,Iwanttothankmywife,Saralynn,forherwisepatience
inputtingupwiththealternativelywhining,exuberant,moaning,manic,and
petulant irrationality that always accompanies my research and writing.
AspecialthanksisalsoduetoCynthiaReadandthewonderfulpeopleat
Oxford University Presswithout whom the book would never have appeared.