Clare of Assisi

by Mueller, Joan

• ISBN13: 9780814651681
• ISBN10: 0814651682
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2003-11-01
• Publisher: Michael Glazier

Summary

In Clare of Assisi, Joan Mueller provides an accessible translation of Clare of Assisi's four letters to Agnes of Prague. The letters bring to life a dynamic moment in the history of women's spirituality. Agnes of Prague, a Bohemian princess, rejected an offer of marriage from the German emperor Frederick II and then built a monastery and hospital from her royal dowry. She wrote to Clare for instructions on how to establish this monastery in the Franciscan spirit. In her letters responding to Agnes, Clare reveals what is essential to the Franciscan life, how to become a person of prayer and of joy, and the spiritual benefits of living a simple and poor lifestyle. Clare of Assisi makes these letters available to all readers. Chapters are "Clare's First Letter to Agnes, " "Clare's Second Letter to Agnes, " "Clare's Third Letter to Agnes, " "Clare's Fourth Letter to Agnes, " and "Choosing Poverty: A Contemporary Choice."

Author Biography

Joan Mueller, O.S.F., Ph.D., teaches systematic theology and Christian spirituality at Creighton University. She has written extensively on Clare of Assisi and the early Franciscan movement

Table of Contents

Preface	vii
Introduction	xi
Clare's First Letter to Agnes
Introduction	1	(1)
Clare's First Letter	2	(4)
Context	6	(16)
Contemporary Relevance	22	(4)
Clare's Second Letter to Agnes
Introduction	26	(2)
Clare's Second Letter	28	(3)
Context	31	(18)
Contemporary Relevance	49	(7)
Clare's Third Letter to Agnes
Introduction	56	(1)
Clare's Third Letter	57	(4)
Context	61	(16)
Contemporary Relevance	77	(7)
Clare's Fourth Letter to Agnes
Introduction	84	(1)
Clare's Fourth Letter	85	(4)
Context	89	(17)
Contemporary Relevance	106	(4)
Choosing Poverty: A Contemporary Choice	110