The Power of Religious Societies in Shaping Early Modern Society and Identities

The Power of Religious Societies in Shaping Early Modern Society and Identities studies the value system of the French Catholic community the Filles de la Charité, or the Daughters of Charity, in the first half of the seventeenth century. An analysis of the activities aimed at edifying morality in the different strata of society revealed a Christian anthropology with strong links to medieval traditions. The book argues that this was an important survival strategy for the Company with a disconcerting religious identity: the non-cloistered lifestyle of its members engaged in charity work had been made unlawful in the Council of Trent. Moreover, the directors Louise de Marillac and Vincent de Paul also had to find ways to curtail internal resistance as the sisters rebelled in quest of a more contemplative and enclosed vocation. Cover 1 Table of Contents 6 Acknowledgements 8 Three Worlds, Three Portraits: Introduction 10 Studying the moral management of the Daughters of Charity: methods and sources 17 Study in scholarly context 28 1 At the cradle: gender and power in seventeenth-century Parisian society 34 1 The elitist facelift of Paris 35 2 The dévotes and the spiritual facelift of Paris 43 3 Social problems and the reorganization of nursing 47 2 Portrait of Louise de Marillac: ensuring resources for moral management 52 1. The credible head: Louise de Marillac and the elite networks of the Company 54 2. The living saint: managing spiritual authority 75 3 The passive penitent: portraying orthodox power relations 105 3 Portrait of the Daughter of Charity: safeguarding the execution of moral management 118 1 Martha and Mary: conflict and reconciliation 119 2 Cloistered outside the cloister: managing spiritual position 126 3. Moderate Magdalene: devotional practices and social status 146 4 Superior saint of Jerome – justifying the mixed vocation 159 4 Portrait of the underprivileged: managing the ignorant substitute of Christ 170 1 Ignorant soul to be saved: motivation through prejudice 171 2 Jesus nursed: motivation through love 176 3 Creating the ideal underprivileged to protect the Company: substance of the moral management 190 From conservative moral management to survival: conclusions 210 Sources 216 Note on vocabulary 238 The Power of Religious Societies in Shaping Early Modern Society and Identities studies the value system of the French Catholic community the Filles de la Charite, or the Daughters of Charity, in the first half of the seventeenth century. An analysis of the activities aimed at edifying morality in the different strata of society revealed a Christian anthropology with strong links to medieval traditions. The book argues that this was an important survival strategy for the Company with a disconcerting religious identity: the non-cloistered lifestyle of its members engaged in charity work had been made unlawful in the Council of Trent. Moreover, the directors Louise de Marillac and Vincent de Paul also had to find ways to curtail internal resistance as the sisters rebelled in quest of a more contemplative and enclosed vocation This book studies the value system of the French Catholic community the Filles de la Charité, or the Daughters of Charity, in the first half of the seventeenth century. An analysis of the acitivities aimed at edifying morality in the different strata of society revealead a Christian anthropology with strong links to medieval traditions. The book argues that this was an important survival strategy for the Company with a disconcerting religious identity: the non-cloistered lifestyle of its members engaged in charity work had been made unlawful in the Council of Trent. Moreover, the directors Louise de Marillac and Vincent de Paul also had to find ways to curtail internal resistance as the sisters rebelled in quest of a more contemplative and enclosed vocation. -- Provided by publisher, page 4 of cover This book studies the value system of the French Catholic community the Filles de la Charite, or the Daughters of Charity, in the first half of the seventeenth century. Rose-marie Peake. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Electronic Reproduction. Baltimore, Md Available Via World Wide Web.