Sacraments as Weapons: Patriarchal Coercion and Engendered Power in the Nineteenth-Century Convent
This essay analyzes the ways in which sacraments were used as weapons of control in nineteenth-century women's religious life. While most instances involve clerics as the wielders of such weapons, some instances of sisters themselves, and even laymen, doing so are also included. Focus is primar...
| Published in: | Journal of feminist studies in religion |
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| Main Author: | |
| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
Indiana University Press
2022
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| In: |
Journal of feminist studies in religion
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| Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains: | B
North America
/ Catholic church
/ Women's religious congregation
/ Sacrament
/ Behavioral control
/ Power structure
/ Clericalism
/ History 1860-1930
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| RelBib Classification: | CB Christian life; spirituality KAH Church history 1648-1913; modern history KAJ Church history 1914-; recent history KBQ North America KCA Monasticism; religious orders KDB Roman Catholic Church NBP Sacramentology; sacraments |
| Further subjects: | B
Patriarchy
B engendered power B Nuns B Clericalism |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
| Summary: | This essay analyzes the ways in which sacraments were used as weapons of control in nineteenth-century women's religious life. While most instances involve clerics as the wielders of such weapons, some instances of sisters themselves, and even laymen, doing so are also included. Focus is primarily on sisters being denied Communion, restrictions on the reservation of the Blessed Sacrament, and regimentation of confession. Particular but not exclusive targets of such ecclesial violence were women who were considered to be deviant or insufficiently submissive, many of them "dangerous" women in leadership. The author places this analysis in the theoretical context of kyriarchy and concludes with feminist analysis of the implications of Pope Pius X's edicts on frequent and early Communion as mechanisms for clericalizing Catholic praxis and piety. The inquiry makes extensive use of archival sources from numerous congregations as well as obscure published histories and memoirs. |
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| ISSN: | 1553-3913 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Journal of feminist studies in religion
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