Description
Book SynopsisInspired by Vatican II, which attributed a special apostolate to the laity and affirmed their calling to holiness, this volume of original essays focuses on the shifting points of intersection between changing historical definitions of laity and sanctity. Ann W. Astell and ten other scholars examine a series of medieval and modern lay saints in order to explore how these figures perceived their own lay status and how this status has been perceived by others. Through its examination of a series of specific historical figures and movements, Lay Sanctity, Medieval and Modern seeks answers to a set of recurring questions, such as what actually distinguishes the sanctity of the laity from that of the religious, why so few lay persons have been canonized, and to what extent the pursuit of sanctity requires lay saints to either deny or affirm their lay condition. Six essays seek to recover models for lay sanctity in the lives of early saints such as Catherine of Sienna and Angela of
Trade Review
“This book is important because it examines with academic reverence the lives of some holy lay people, how some became saints and why others of dazzling virtue didn’t. . . . This is inspiring reading. . . . The author’s scholarship is impressive throughout. Cultural influences get careful attention, Vatican II documents root their judgements in contemporary theology, and the range and quality of their sources is impressive.” —National Catholic Reporter
“More than thirty five-years ago, the Second Vatican Council emphasized anew the universal call to holiness. Yet many lay women and men still ask: how can one respond to this call to holiness in the midst of the world? In other words, how can one live a ‘secular sanctity'? Part of the problem is that there has been a scarcity of lay models, especially when searching among the canonized saints. This collection of essays creatively fills that gap.” —INTAMS Review
