The 14th-Century Rebuilding of the Collegiate Church of St Mary’s,Warwick

The 14th-century rebuilding of the collegiate church of St Mary’s by the earls of Warwick has received surprisingly little scholarly consideration, despite the status of its patrons and the distinctiveness of its architecture. This article uses drawings of the building before the fire of 1694, which destroyed its west end, together with the college’s extensive cartulary and other records, to reconstruct the 14th-century church. From this a timeline for the construction of the church is proposed. Regional, national and international stylistic precedents and antecedents are explored and used to test the validity of the ‘centre/periphery’ model of architectural change. The article concludes with a brief discussion of methodological insights drawn from the analysis.     

Harehope Hospital and The Arrival of The Order of St Lazarus in England*

A previously unknown deed of the mid-twelfth century significantly changes our understanding of the foundation of the leper hospital at Harehope (Northumberland), which belonged to the Knights of St Lazarus. The deed prompts a reexamination of the introduction of the order of St Lazarus to England. A rereading of contemporary evidence allows parallels to be drawn with the introduction of the order to France, clarifies the founding role of Roger de Mowbray, and opens the possibility that the order’s first establishment in England was at Harehope rather than at Burton Lazars in Leicestershire.     

A Matter of Judgment: Politics,Law and the Trial of Bishop Thomas Watson

Thomas Watson's controversial expulsion from the bishopric of St David's – and hence from the house of lords – after a long and bitterly‐fought series of legal actions, raised fundamental and difficult questions about the right to control membership of the house of lords and about the relationship between politics and the law, as well as between church and state. This article explores both the local and the national political contexts that prompted Watson's ordeal, suggesting that subsequent demonisation by Gilbert Burnet has obscured the extent to which Watson was the casualty of William III's determination to cow his political opponents. It concludes that Watson was marked out for opprobrium precisely because, like Sir John Fenwick, his political and social insignificance enabled him to be victimised without risking a backlash of opposition from the social and political elite.     

Teresa's experiences

ABSTRACT

In this article, I examine the notion of personal experience in relation to mysticism. I observe that St. Teresa of Jesus includes both her ordinary and extraordinary experiences in her writings on prayer, and I argue that these experiences are essential to her theology.     

Bentham on asceticism and tyranny

In the late 1810s, Jeremy Bentham wrote a set of texts entitled Not Paul, But Jesus, arguing against the religious authority of St. Paul, and the principle of asceticism he propagated. This paper argues that Bentham’s critique of the principle of asceticism was not only or primarily a religious one, but a political one. Bentham objected to the principle of asceticism because it could be used to provide practical and ideological support for tyranny. The principle of asceticism, as a principle which repudiated common pleasures, provided a ‘cloak’ for tyranny, in giving rulers a reason to establish laws which penetrated further into the everyday activities of men and women (than would have been justified under the principle of utility), and so enabled them to increase their power over their subjects. The principle of asceticism also enabled rulers to create the conditions of fear and social isolation, which encouraged obedience to their laws. The Not Paul texts and related writings can be read as an extended argument against the principle of asceticism as a political principle, and as a defence of common pleasures.     

A golden calf in sacred space?: The future of St Katherine's monastery,Mount Sinai (Egypt)

Abstract

The spectacular fortified monastery of St Katherine, continuously inhabited since the 4th century and with a library second only in historical significance to that of the Vatican, forms the epicentre of a sacred landscape surrounding Mount Sinai, in the southern Sinai desert (Egypt). This site, with religious significance for Jews, Muslims and Christians alike, is currently threatened by very rapid growth in visitation Jrom Egypt's new tourist resorts on the Red Sea coast, less than three hours drive away. Currently, 97,000 visitors per year arrive at St Katherine, 80% of whom are day‐trip visitors and many of whom stay less than half an hour. This represents a 300% increase in the last decade, projected to increase by a further 500% by 2017. Tourism pressure is having a serious effect on the sustainability of monastic life, despite efforts to limit visiting hours and access. This fieldwork‐based case study summarises the current impact of tourism in the Mount Sinai area suggesting that although high visitation levels have imperilled its spirit of place they have also, conversely, provided some measure of protection for both site and landscape in the current political climate.