In Samuel's Image
Child Oblation in the Early Medieval West
Published on 1. December 1995
Book
Leather / fine binding
XVI, 360 pages
978-90-04-10483-9 (ISBN)
Description
Early medieval religious communities were filled with monks and nuns who spent almost their entire lives within the monastic confines. Many had arrived in childhood, through an irrevocable act of parental sacrifice (oblatio). According to Benedict's Rule, parents were to donate their sons "to God in the monastery", following the biblical example of Hannah offering her son Samuel at the Temple.
From the twelfth century onwards, this once widespread practice became increasingly controversial. Why did parents give away their children? Were they driven by economic necessity?
This book argues that child oblation was anything but a religious disguise for abandoning superfluous offspring. Instead, it was a sacrifice, and should be viewed within the context of gift-giving, religious and otherwise, which assumed such a central importance in early medieval societies.
From the twelfth century onwards, this once widespread practice became increasingly controversial. Why did parents give away their children? Were they driven by economic necessity?
This book argues that child oblation was anything but a religious disguise for abandoning superfluous offspring. Instead, it was a sacrifice, and should be viewed within the context of gift-giving, religious and otherwise, which assumed such a central importance in early medieval societies.
Reviews / Votes
"...excellente etude, fort bien documentee..."L. Wankenne, Revue benedictine, 1996.
"Die Ausfuehrungen bestechen durch grosse Quellenkenntnis, lebendige Schilderung und die Beruecksichtigung des aktuellen Forschungsstandes..."
M.S., Deutsches Archiv fuer Erforschung des Mittelalters, 1996.
"an important, well-informed, and most thought-provoking book, which easily sustained this reader's interest from beginning to end."
Alain J. Stoclet, Speculum, 1998.
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Leiden
Netherlands
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
Product notice
Cloth
With dust jacket
Illustrations
1 Frontispiz
Dimensions
Height: 242 mm
Width: 166 mm
Thickness: 28 mm
Weight
803 gr
ISBN-13
978-90-04-10483-9 (9789004104839)
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Mayke de Jong received a doctorate from the University of Amsterdam (1986) and is presently Professor of Medieval History at Utrecht University. She has published on a range of early medieval topics, notably monasticism and political ritual.
Content
Abbreviations
Introduction
I. Child Oblation: Its Early History
1. Early Monasticism
2. Child Oblation in Benedict's Rule
3. The Rule and Other Rules
4. Oblation in the Visigothic Realm
5. Missionaries and Child Oblation
II. Carolingian Law and Child Oblation
1. 'God's Precept and Our Decree'
2. Legislation on Child Oblation
3. The Commemoration: Smaragdus and Hildemar
4. Child Oblation as a Source of Conflict
III. Registration and Commemoration
1. The Petitia of 817
2. The Profession Book of St Gall
3. The Register of Rheims
4. The Noticia of San Salvatore/Santa Giulia
5. Oblates and Novices in Corvey
6. Child Oblation and Commemoration
IV. Monasticism and Child Recruitment
1. Nutriti and Conversi
2. Oblates, Purity and Priesthood
3. Claustrum versus Saeculum: Hildemar on Child Rearing
4.
V. Models and Rituals of Child Oblation
1. Biblical Models
2. Votum
3. Oblation and Mass
4. Rituals of Oblation
5. The Significance of the Oblation Ritual
VI. Commendatio and Oblatio
1. Ritualising hild Oblation
2. Commeendation, Conversion and the Court
3. Educating for God: Parents, Godparents and Foster Parents
4. Familiaritas
5. Spiritual and Natural Kinship
6. Keeping while Giving
VII. Child Oblation and the State
1. The School of the Lord's Service
2. The Formation of An Elite: Scholastici
3. Monastic: Stability and the State
4. Invitus et Coactus: Monastic Prisoners
VIII. Childeren as Gifts: A Conclusion
1. Gifts and 'Pure Gifts'
2. Who controlled the Gifts?
3. Children as Holocausta
Epilogue
Bibliography
Index
Introduction
I. Child Oblation: Its Early History
1. Early Monasticism
2. Child Oblation in Benedict's Rule
3. The Rule and Other Rules
4. Oblation in the Visigothic Realm
5. Missionaries and Child Oblation
II. Carolingian Law and Child Oblation
1. 'God's Precept and Our Decree'
2. Legislation on Child Oblation
3. The Commemoration: Smaragdus and Hildemar
4. Child Oblation as a Source of Conflict
III. Registration and Commemoration
1. The Petitia of 817
2. The Profession Book of St Gall
3. The Register of Rheims
4. The Noticia of San Salvatore/Santa Giulia
5. Oblates and Novices in Corvey
6. Child Oblation and Commemoration
IV. Monasticism and Child Recruitment
1. Nutriti and Conversi
2. Oblates, Purity and Priesthood
3. Claustrum versus Saeculum: Hildemar on Child Rearing
4.
V. Models and Rituals of Child Oblation
1. Biblical Models
2. Votum
3. Oblation and Mass
4. Rituals of Oblation
5. The Significance of the Oblation Ritual
VI. Commendatio and Oblatio
1. Ritualising hild Oblation
2. Commeendation, Conversion and the Court
3. Educating for God: Parents, Godparents and Foster Parents
4. Familiaritas
5. Spiritual and Natural Kinship
6. Keeping while Giving
VII. Child Oblation and the State
1. The School of the Lord's Service
2. The Formation of An Elite: Scholastici
3. Monastic: Stability and the State
4. Invitus et Coactus: Monastic Prisoners
VIII. Childeren as Gifts: A Conclusion
1. Gifts and 'Pure Gifts'
2. Who controlled the Gifts?
3. Children as Holocausta
Epilogue
Bibliography
Index