Description
Book SynopsisIn Compelling God, Stephanie Clark examines the relationship between prayer, gift giving, the self, and community in Anglo-Saxon England.
Trade Review"Stephanie Clark presents the first sustained study to focus directly on prayer in early England, and with stunning success." -- Brandon W. Hawk, Rhode Island College *
Speculum *
"Compelling God presents an original approach to investigating early English religious practices and devotional attitudes, a model worthy of imitation by scholar and student alike. Stephanie Clark makes a significant contribution to medieval studies and religious studies by treating what the early English authors taught about prayer, what it does, and how it works seriously on their own terms." -- Miranda Wilcox, Brigham Young University *
Journal of English and Germanic Philology *
"This volume offers a valuable and nuanced account of the Anglo-Saxon period to those working on histories of prayer, the gift, selfhood, and spirituality in other literatures and traditions." -- Helen Appleton, University of Oxford *
Early Medieval Europe *
"The strength of Clark’s book consists in showing that Anglo-Saxon prayer theory cannot be assumed to be the same as that of later periods. She carefully works out the differences in prayer theory between Bede, Asser, Alfred, and Aelfric." -- Gernot R. Wieland, University of British Columbia *
University of Toronto Quarterly: Letters in Canada 2018 *
Table of ContentsAcknowledgements ntroduction Chapter 1: The Anglo-Saxon Inheritance Chapter 2: Gratiam pro gratia: Bede on Prayer Chapter 3: Does Prayer Work? The Prayers of King Alfred Chapter 4: Aelfric and the Community of Prayer Conclusion Bibliography
