Clare of Assisi is generally known as "the female friend" of Saint Francis of Assisi and for centuries her legacy has remained obscured by his shadow. Yet Clare's life and story ought to shine in its own light and on its own terms (her name, after all, means "light"). She is a figure of true heroism, tenacity, beatitude and grit who plotted her improbable course in the context of the raucous and explosive period of the Middle Ages. Much went wrong for Clare after the day when, as a teen, she fled the home of her noble and wealthy family to follow Francis in a life of poverty. No one would have begrudged her if, when the trials had become onerous, she had decided simply to "go home." Yet she stayed the course, even after Francis had died. She pulled from the fire of her trials embers that would become her crown. In this new book, Wendy Murray digs deeply into Clare's decision to abandon rank and wealth for allegiance to Christ (and in no small way, Francis) and explores the circumstances which, later on, tested Clare's devotion. Clare's curious and vivid spiritual vision galvanized her ability to persevere amid difficult circumstances and enabled her to stay her course and lay claim to a legacy that shines brightly among the host of medieval saints.
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Target group
US School Grade: College Freshman and over
Product notice
Dimensions
Height: 216 mm
Width: 140 mm
Thickness: 13 mm
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ISBN-13
978-1-64060-183-3 (9781640601833)
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Wendy Murray, author of A Mended and a Broken Heart and Clare of Assisi, Gentle Warrior, spent more than a decade researching Saint Francis and Saint Clare, including time living in Assisi, Italy. An award-winning writer, scholar, and journalist, she was an editor and senior writer at Christianity Today and has contributed extensively to Books & Culture, The Christian Century, and numerous other publications. She holds a B.A. from Hiram College and an M.A.T.S. in New Testament from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary where she currently serves as Associate Director of Accreditation and Communications at Gordon-Conwell and Editor-in-Chief of Ex Fonte magazine. Her books explore faith, history, and spirituality through both journalistic inquiry, theological exploration, and personal reflection.