Beverly Kienzle – författare

A study of the involvement of the Cistercian Order in the events surrounding the outbreak of heresy - particularly that of the Cathars and the resulting Albigensian Crusade - in southern France.Led by the example of Bernard of Clairvaux, Cistercian monks turned their attention to the world outside the monastery walls in response to the threat posed by heretical Christians, in particular the Cathars. The white monks, withother intellectuals, turned to pen, pulpit and popular preaching to counteract heresy, some accepting posts as bishops and papal legates, helping and even directing the Albigensian crusade, and contributing to the formulation ofprocedures for inquisition. Kienzle examines this important but little-studied aspect of Cistercian history to discover how and why the Order undertook endeavours that drew the monks outside their monastic vocation. The analysis of texts about the preaching campaigns and their contexts illuminate the ways in which medieval monastic authors perceived heresy, preached, and wrote against it.Professor BEVERLY MAYNE KIENZLE teaches at Harvard Divinity School.

A study of the involvement of the Cistercian Order in the events surrounding the outbreak of heresy - particularly that of the Cathars and the resulting Albigensian Crusade - in southern France.Led by the example of Bernard of Clairvaux, Cistercian monks turned their attention to the world outside the monastery walls in response to the threat posed by heretical Christians, in particular the Cathars. The white monks, withother intellectuals, turned to pen, pulpit and popular preaching to counteract heresy, some accepting posts as bishops and papal legates, helping and even directing the Albigensian crusade, and contributing to the formulation ofprocedures for inquisition. Kienzle examines this important but little-studied aspect of Cistercian history to discover how and why the Order undertook endeavours that drew the monks outside their monastic vocation. The analysis of texts about the preaching campaigns and their contexts illuminate the ways in which medieval monastic authors perceived heresy, preached, and wrote against it.Professor BEVERLY MAYNE KIENZLE teaches at Harvard Divinity School.

This study offers a substantial introduction to the world of Catherine of Siena (1347-80), her works and the way her followers responded to her religious leadership and legacy. Although much scholarship has dealt with her visionary reputation, this volume, written by experts in Catherinian studies, highlights her image as a church reformer, peacemaker, preacher, author, holy woman, stigmatic, saint and politically astute person. Furthermore, it assesses the manuscript tradition of works by and about Catherine of Siena. Few overviews of the historical and cultural circumstances of Catherine of Siena exist in English. A Companion to Catherine of Siena, therefore, makes accessible hitherto elusive details of this Sienese saint’s life and works.Contributors include: Allison Clark Thurber, Beverly Mayne Kienzle, Blake Beattie, Carolyn Muessig, Diega Giunta, Eliana Corbari, F. Thomas Luongo, George Ferzoco, Heather Webb, Jane Tylus, Maiju Lehmijoki-Gardner, Silvia Nocentini, and Suzanne Noffke..