From the Editor’s Desk
The greatest consolation I receive from the academic encounter with Christian texts is that participation in them does not require adherence to an ideology; rather, it requires humility. As academics, we remain confident that reading Christian texts with charity only enhances our ability to use our reason, and gives us the courage to take the Christian proposal seriously despite perceived ambiguities and shortcomings. Thus, by approaching the texts with an ardent desire to understand, we also remain receptive to being transformed by our encounter with them. The papers in this edition of Saeculum are the result of a fruitful encounter with Christian texts. These papers reveal a variety of approaches. However, all authors demonstrate an authentic attempt to engage the text. Mike Taccone’s essay explores the tradition of Marian devotion at its height in Medieval Europe showing how at points Mary was more exalted than her Son. Jenny Gilbert’s essay provides an excellent conversational counterpart to Mike’s essay. Her essay illustrates how, at the same time that Marian devotion had reached new heights in Europe, devotional images of Mary were used to support sermons against wet nurses, which is a good example of how boundaries between divine revelation and earthly agendas are difficult to tease apart. Rediscovering the prophetic voice is a perennial task for Christians and Margaret Hirst’s contribution revisits Ecclesiastes’ call to live life graciously. Natalie Merglesky explores how a biblical book about two lovers, with no explicit reference to God, inspired the Christian imagination of a Cistercian monk to write a great spiritual treatise.
We thank the University of St. Michael’s College, the Rabanus Project and the faculty of the Christianity and Culture Program for their continuing support. It is with joy that we dedicate this edition of Saeculum to the community of students at St. Michael’s College.
Cheridan Eygelaar
Editor-in-Chief
2007-2008