The Making of the Magdalen: Preaching and Popular Devotion in the Later Middle Ages

by Katherine Ludwig Jansen

Overview

Best known during the Middle Ages as the prostitute who became a faithful follower of Christ, Mary Magdalen was the most beloved female saint after the Virgin Mary. Why the Magdalen became so popular, what meanings she conveyed, and how her story evolved over the centuries are the focus of this compelling exploration of late medieval religious culture. Analyzing previously unpublished sermons, Katherine Jansen uses the lens of medieval preaching to examine the mendicant friars' transformation of Mary Magdalen, a shadowy gospel figure, into an emblem of action and contemplation, a symbol of vanity and lust, a model of perfect penance, and the embodiment of hope and salvation. She draws on diverse historical sources to reveal the laity's devotion to Mary Magdalen, which departed significantly from the friars' image of the saint, signaling a major development in popular religious practice and personal piety. Finally, the author comprehensively addresses the question of the House of Anjou's alliance with the Magdalen, and illuminates the relationship between politics and sanctity in southern France and Italy.

Jansen shows how perceptions of the Magdalen merged with errors and misunderstandings to shape the social, spiritual, and political agendas of the later Middle Ages. She brings to life the rich complexity of medieval culture, which condemned female sexuality and women's preaching and yet popularized the veneration of Mary Magdalen as a former prostitute chosen by Christ to be the "apostle of the apostles," the first to witness and preach the Good News of the Resurrection.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780691089874
Publisher:	Princeton University Press
Publication date:	07/22/2001
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	408
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.25(h) x (d)

About the Author

Katherine Ludwig Jansen is Assistant Professor of History at Catholic University.

Table of Contents

	Illustrations	vii
	Acknowledgments	xi
	Abbreviations	xv
	A Note on Transcription, Translation, and Names	xvii
	Introduction	3
1	"In Memory of Her": From History to Legend	18
Part I	The Mendicant Magdalen
2	The Vita Apostolica	49
3	The Vita Activa	100
4	The Vita Contemplativa	116
Part II	The Wages of Sin
5	"Vanity of Vanities, All Is Vanity"	145
6	"There Was a Sinner in the City"	168
Part III	Do Penance
7	The Exemplar of Perfect Penance	199
Part IV	Responses
8	Responses to the Scriptural Saint	247
9	Responses to the Legendary Saint	265
10	In the Shadow of the Virgin	286
11	The House of Anjou: A Royal Response	307
	Epilogue: "In Memory of Her": From Legend to History	333
	Bibliography of Works Cited	337
	Unpublished Primary Sources	337
	Published Primary Sources	339
	Secondary Sources	348
	Index	371

What People are Saying About This

Johnson

An exciting and well-written work based on outstanding research. Katherine Jansen neatly lays out how the late medieval Magdalen was 'created,' partly by errors and misunderstandings, partly as conscious creation for both spiritual and political needs. There are moments in this book that are as much fun as a good mystery story.
— Penelope D. Johnson, New York University

Beverly Kienzle

Thoroughly grounded in the intricacies and history of medieval Magdalen legends, Jansen's superb research of previously unexplored sources highlights new evidence that medieval preachers were convinced that Mary Magdalen indeed preached. This fascinating book casts new light on how Mary Magdalen was represented in sermons, art, and the minds of late medieval Christians. Captivating and essential reading for scholars of medieval religion and history, this clearly written book will appeal to all those interested in Mary Magdalen.
— Beverly Kienzle, Harvard Divinity School

Nicole Beriou

Katherine Jansen's major study emerges as a real masterpiece. With subtlety and clarity she untangles the thread of multiple images of the saint, sometimes contradictory or paradoxical. She has established an exemplary historical study of undeniable solidity and great suggestive force.
— Nicole Beriou, University Lumiere Lyon 2 (France)

Little

Spirituality, iconography, saints, cults, religious women, and Mary Magdalen herself, all marginal to historical discourse until recently, are skillfully woven together in this book of central importance for understanding later medieval religion and society.
— Lester K. Little, American Academy in Rome

Lerner

A wonderful book: exhaustively researched, masterfully crafted, deftly written, strongly persuasive, and full of keen-sighted aperçus.
— Robert E. Lerner, Northwestern University

From the Publisher

"An exciting and well-written work based on outstanding research. Katherine Jansen neatly lays out how the late medieval Magdalen was 'created,' partly by errors and misunderstandings, partly as conscious creation for both spiritual and political needs. There are moments in this book that are as much fun as a good mystery story."—Penelope D. Johnson, New York University

"Katherine Jansen's major study emerges as a real masterpiece. With subtlety and clarity she untangles the thread of multiple images of the saint, sometimes contradictory or paradoxical. She has established an exemplary historical study of undeniable solidity and great suggestive force."—Nicole Beriou, University Lumière Lyon 2 (France)

"A wonderful book: exhaustively researched, masterfully crafted, deftly written, strongly persuasive, and full of keen-sighted aperçus."—Robert E. Lerner, Northwestern University

"Spirituality, iconography, saints, cults, religious women, and Mary Magdalen herself, all marginal to historical discourse until recently, are skillfully woven together in this book of central importance for understanding later medieval religion and society."—Lester K. Little, American Academy in Rome

"Thoroughly grounded in the intricacies and history of medieval Magdalen legends, Jansen's superb research of previously unexplored sources highlights new evidence that medieval preachers were convinced that Mary Magdalen indeed preached. This fascinating book casts new light on how Mary Magdalen was represented in sermons, art, and the minds of late medieval Christians. Captivating and essential reading for scholars of medieval religion and history, this clearly written book will appeal to all those interested in Mary Magdalen."—Beverly Kienzle, Harvard Divinity School

"This original and beautifully written book traces change in the image of and devotion to Mary Magdalen from the High Middle Ages to the cusp of modernity. This is a book for historians and history buffs, feminists and all who are interested in Christian popular devotion."—E. Ann Matter, University of Pennsylvania

Penelope D. Johnson

An exciting and well-written work based on outstanding research. Katherine Jansen neatly lays out how the late medieval Magdalen was 'created,' partly by errors and misunderstandings, partly as conscious creation for both spiritual and political needs. There are moments in this book that are as much fun as a good mystery story.

E. Ann Matter

This original and beautifully written book traces change in the image of and devotion to Mary Magdalen from the High Middle Ages to the cusp of modernity. This is a book for historians and history buffs, feminists and all who are interested in Christian popular devotion.
— E. Ann Matter, University of Pennsylvania

Editorial Reviews

Jansen offers us a well-written book that brilliantly explores one of the most important saintly cults of the medieval era.

The Historian - Bernard Schlager

This is an important book that deserves to be widely known.

Journal of Religious History - Constant J. Mews

A tremendous, ambitious, and worthy work of erudition and scholarship.

The Historian - Linda E. Mitchell

Jansen's careful scholarship, detailed footnotes, and useful bibliography make the book a 'must have' for anyone interested in Magdalenian studies. The 'Royal Response' chapter alone makes the book a 'must have' for anyone interested in the intersection of politics, religion, and the multifaceted relations arising from their heady mix.

Sixteenth Century Journal - Whitney Leeson

Jansen has a genuine gift for relating the story of the Magdalen to the larger religious and social history of the period. It is highly readable, learned, full of interesting material gleaned from primary archival research, and amply illustrated.

Commonwealth - Lawrence S. Cunningham

An ambitious and important book. . . . Having read it one is guaranteed to see medieval representations of the Magdalen with new eyes.

Journal of Ecclesiastical History - Jussi Hanska

[An] elegant and learned book. . . . it goes beyond it predecessors in several ways. . .. Jansen has produced a disciplined, tightly focused historical monograph. . .. The final result is theologically sophisticated and sociologically interesting.

American Historical Review - Augustine Thompson

Jansen shows that the issue of gender was close to the surface in every phase of the Magdalen cult, bound up with the continuing debate over women as preachers and with questions of authority. On the whole she employs gender analysis convincingly to clarify some puzzling texts.

Renaissance Quarterly - Donald Weinstein

Jansen's book is both a superb study of the character of Mary Magdalen as interpreted by later medievals as well as a paradigmatic methodological study for approaching the intriguing question of the reception of the medieval sermon. . . . [It will be] a standard for both women's studies and the study of sermon literature. . . .The book should enjoy wide readership, not only by those interested in the Magdalen, but also by students and professionals alike who might look to this study for scholarly guidance—such its intellectual scope and methodological competence.

Theological Studies - Joan Mueller

This is an important book that deserves to be widely known.
— Constant J. Mews

Journal of Religious History

Jansen offers us a well-written book that brilliantly explores one of the most important saintly cults of the medieval era.
— Bernard Schlager

The Historian

Jansen's careful scholarship, detailed footnotes, and useful bibliography make the book a 'must have' for anyone interested in Magdalenian studies. The 'Royal Response' chapter alone makes the book a 'must have' for anyone interested in the intersection of politics, religion, and the multifaceted relations arising from their heady mix.
— Whitney Leeson

Sixteenth-Century Journal

Jansen has a genuine gift for relating the story of the Magdalen to the larger religious and social history of the period. It is highly readable, learned, full of interesting material gleaned from primary archival research, and amply illustrated.
— Lawrence S. Cunningham

Commonwealth

An ambitious and important book. . . . Having read it one is guaranteed to see medieval representations of the Magdalen with new eyes.
— Jussi Hanska

Journal of Ecclesiastical History

[An] elegant and learned book. . . . it goes beyond it predecessors in several ways. . .. Jansen has produced a disciplined, tightly focused historical monograph. . .. The final result is theologically sophisticated and sociologically interesting.
— Augustine Thompson

American Historical Review

Jansen shows that the issue of gender was close to the surface in every phase of the Magdalen cult, bound up with the continuing debate over women as preachers and with questions of authority. On the whole she employs gender analysis convincingly to clarify some puzzling texts.
— Donald Weinstein

Renaissance Quarterly

Jansen's book is both a superb study of the character of Mary Magdalen as interpreted by later medievals as well as a paradigmatic methodological study for approaching the intriguing question of the reception of the medieval sermon. . . . [It will be] a standard for both women's studies and the study of sermon literature. . . .The book should enjoy wide readership, not only by those interested in the Magdalen, but also by students and professionals alike who might look to this study for scholarly guidance—such its intellectual scope and methodological competence.
— Joan Mueller

Theological Studies

Jansen's careful scholarship, detailed footnotes, and useful bibliography make the book a 'must have' for anyone interested in Magdalenian studies. The 'Royal Response' chapter alone makes the book a 'must have' for anyone interested in the intersection of politics, religion, and the multifaceted relations arising from their heady mix.
— Whitney Leeson

Sixteenth Century Journal

Winner of the John Gilmary Shea Prize, American Catholic Historical Association

From the Publisher