Item Type: Journal Articles

Schroeder examines the biblical and Greco-Roman background for John of Patmos‘s vision of a woman clothed with the sun, crowned with twelve stars, standing on the moon in Revelation 12. Appropriating elements of pagan imagery, John of Patmos argues that Israel, not the goddesses of Greco-Roman mythology, is the true queen of heaven.

Schroeder examines the writings of medieval women who characterize the devil as a violent misogynist. Schroeder argues that violence against male or female bodies is an attack by the Evil One. The doctrine of the resurrection is God‘s affirmation of the goodness of the human body and a promise of healing in this life and at the bodily resurrection.

Using the writings of medieval women who were devoted to the Eucharist, Schroeder urges contemporary Lutherans to embrace an incarnational Eucharistic theology that affirms the goodness of the body.

In their treatment of the horrific story of the rape of the Levite’s concubine by the men of Gibeah, Reformation-era commentators said that the “natural” rape of the woman was preferable to the “unnatural” rape of her husband, who had been threatened by the townsmen. Several Protestant writers claimed that her gang rape and death was divinely ordained justice for adultery against her husband.

Examining the writings of two medieval German women and a nineteenth-century African-American Shaker preacher, Schroeder explores women‘s use of the biblical figure of Wisdom to authorize female writing and preaching.

Italian Franciscan tertiary Angela of Foligno (c. 1248-1309) reported several visionary experiences on the February 2 Feast of the Purification. Schroeder argues that Angela used the story of Virgin Mary‘s presentation of her child Jesus in the temple as a metaphor for Angela‘s offering of herself and her spiritual sons (Franciscan priests) to the deity.

Schroeder shows how Hildegard‘s theological writings about the Holy Spirit were well-integrated with her scientific theories about the four elements (earth, air, fire, and water) and medieval thoughts about the bodily “humors.” The Holy Spirit is described as having—and providing to faithful Christians—the propitious qualities associated with the right combination of air, fire, and water.

In contrast to other church fathers who tolerated wife-beating and encouraged women to remain in abusive marriages, John Chrysostom argued that a man should not use physical violence against his wife for any reason whatsoever.

Unlike patristic and medieval commentators who harshly condemned Jacob‘s daughter Dinah (Genesis 34) for her own rape, Martin Luther interprets the story from the perspective of a loving father who is saddened by the grave injury done to his young daughter.

Schroeder explores the role of friendship in the life of Flemish Cistercian nun Beatrice of Nazareth (1200-1268). Friendship was a source of spiritual support and encouragement in monastic settings. Spiritual friends would also pray for one another to have visionary experiences on predetermined feast days, creating a climate of expectation surrounding church festivals.