Medieval Monasticism traces the Western Monastic tradition from its fourth-century origins in the deserts of Egypt and Syria through the many and varied forms of religious life it assumed during the Middle Ages. It explores the relationship between monasteries and the secular world around them. For a thousand years, the great monastic houses and religious orders were a prominent feature of the social landscape of the West, and their leaders figured as much in the political as on the spiritual map of the medieval world. In this book many of them, together with their supporters and critics, are presented to us and speak their minds to us. We are shown, for instance, the controversy between the Benedictines and the reformed monasticism of the twelfth century and the problems that confronted women in religious life. A detailed glossary offers readers a helpful vocabulary of the subject. This fifth edition has been revised by Janet Burton to include an updated bibliography with references to the mendicants and early monasticism and a new introduction which discusses the trends in monastic studies and provides an overview of religious women. This book is essential reading for both students and scholars of the medieval world.

Medieval Monasticism traces the Western Monastic tradition from its fourth-century origins in the deserts of Egypt and Syria through the many and varied forms of religious life it assumed during the Middle Ages. It explores the relationship between monasteries and the secular world around them. For a thousand years, the great monastic houses and religious orders were a prominent feature of the social landscape of the West, and their leaders figured as much in the political as on the spiritual map of the medieval world. In this book many of them, together with their supporters and critics, are presented to us and speak their minds to us. We are shown, for instance, the controversy between the Benedictines and the reformed monasticism of the twelfth century and the problems that confronted women in religious life. A detailed glossary offers readers a helpful vocabulary of the subject. This fifth edition has been revised by Janet Burton to include an updated bibliography with references to the mendicants and early monasticism and a new introduction which discusses the trends in monastic studies and provides an overview of religious women. This book is essential reading for both students and scholars of the medieval world.

A full and comprehensive survey of the development of the Cistercian Order which emerged from the tumultuous intellectual and religious fervour of the eleventh and twelfth centuries. The Cistercians (White Monks) were the most successful monastic experiment to emerge from the tumultuous intellectual and religious fervour of the eleventh and twelfth centuries. By around 1150 they had established houses the length and breadth of Western Christendom and were internationally renowned. They sought to return to a simple form of monastic life, as set down in the Rule of St Benedict, and preferred rural locations "far from the haunts of men".But, as recent research has shown, they were by no means isolated from society but influenced, and were influenced by, the world around them; they moved with the times. This book explores the phenomenon that was the Cistercian Order, drawing on recent research from various disciplines to consider what it was that made the Cistercians distinctive and how they responded to developments. The book addresses current debates regarding the origins and evolution of the Order; discusses the key primary sources for knowledge; and covers architecture, administration, daily life, spirituality, the economy and the monks' ties with the world. Professor Janet Burton teaches at theSchool of Archaeology, History and Anthropology, University of Wales Trinity Saint David; Dr Julie Kerr is Honorary Research Fellow in the School of History, University of St Andrews.

Essays reflecting the most recent research on the thirteenth century, with a timely focus on the Treaty of Paris. Additional editors: Karen Stoeber, Bjoern Weiler The articles collected here bear witness to the continued and wide interest in England and its neighbours in the "long" thirteenth century. The volume includes papers on the high politics of the thirteenth century, international relations, the administrative and governmental structures of medieval England and aspects of the wider societal and political context of the period. A particular theme of the papers is Anglo-French political history, and especially the ways in which that relationship was reflected in the diplomatic and dynastic arrangements associated with the Treaty of Paris, the 750th anniversary of which fell during 2009, a fact celebrated in this collection of essays and the Paris conference at which the original papers were first delivered. Contributors: Caroline Burt, Julie E. Kanter, Julia Barrow, Benjamin L. Wild, WilliamMarx, Caroline Dunn, Adrian Jobson, Adrian R. Bell, Chris Brooks, Tony K. Moore, David A. Trotter, William Chester Jordan, Daniel Power, Florent Lenegre

[The series is] a necessary addition for any scholar working in this field. NOTTINGHAM MEDIEVAL STUDIES The articles collected here bear witness to the wide interest in England and its neighbours in the "long" thirteenth century; topics include the high politics of the thirteenth century, international relations, the administrativeand governmental structures of medieval England and aspects of the wider societal and political context of the period. Contributors: MAX LIEBERMAN, MICHAEL PENMAN, NICK BARRATT, LEIDULF MELVE, ADRIAN JOBSON, XAVIER HELARY, ANDREW SPENCER, HENRY SUMMERSON, CAROLINE BURT, ANDREW ABRAM, SUSAN STEWART, MICHAEL RAY, INGO SCHWAB, BETH HARTLAND, PAUL DRYBURGH

Fruits of the most recent research into the "long" thirteenth century. The twin themes of authority and resistance are the focus of this volume, explored through topics such as landholding and secular politics, the church and religious orders and contemporary imagery and its reception. Together, thepapers combine to illustrate the variety of ways in which historians of the "long" thirteenth century are able to examine the practices and norms through which individuals and institutions sought to establish their authority, andthe ways in which these were open to challenge. JANET BURTON is Professor of Medieval History at University of Wales: Trinity Saint David; PHILLIPP SCHOFIELD is Professor of Medieval History at Aberystwyth University; BJORN WEILER is Professor of History at Aberystwyth University. Contributors: Helen Birkett, Richard Cassidy, Judith Collard, Peter Coss, Ian Forrest, Philippa Hoskin, Jennifer Jahner, Melissa Julian Jones, Fergus Oakes, John Sabapathy, Sita Steckel.

Fruits of the most recent research on the thirteenth century in both England and Europe. The articles collected here reflect the continued and wide interest in England and its neighbours in the years between Magna Carta and the Black Death, with many of them particularly seeking to set England in its European context.There are three main strands to the volume. The first is the social dimension of power, and the norms and practice of politics: attention is drawn to the variety of roles open to members of the clergy, but also peasants and townsmen, and the populace at large. Several chapters explore the manifestations and instruments of social identity, such as the seals used by the leading elites of thirteenth-century London, and the marriage practices of the Englisharistocracy. The third main focus is the uses of the past. Matthew Paris, the most famous chronicler of the period, receives due attention, in particular his changing attitude towards the monarch, but the Vita Edwardi Secundi's portrayal of Thomas of Lancaster and the Anglo-Norman Prose Brut are also considered. Janet Burton is Professor of Medieval History at University of Wales: Trinity Saint David; Phillipp Schofield is Professor of Medieval History at Aberystwyth University; Bjoern Weiler is Professor of History at Aberystwyth University. Contributors: J.R. Maddicott, Phillipp Schofield, Harmony Dewez, John McEwan, Joerg Peltzer, Karen Stoeber, Olga Cecilia Mendez Gonzalez, Sophie Ambler, Joe Creamer, Lars Kjaer, Andrew Spencer, Julia Marvin, Olivier de Laborderie

Edition of important documents from one of the major monastic centres of medieval England. In the wake of the Conqueror's ravaging of the North in the course of the rebellion and Danish invasion of 1069-70 the devastated city of York had to be largely rebuilt. The Conqueror himself contributed a major new abbey built in the west of the city, no doubt in a spirit of penitence for the wasting of the city and county carried out by his troops. The community's origins were not straightforward. It had begun in the early 1080s as a struggling monastic settlement on the ancient site of Lastingham on the North York Moors under its charismatic leader, Stephen. Around 1085 the community was adopted by the king and translated to the western quarter of York, to a site which had previously been the "burh" of the earl of Northumbria. The Conqueror made a creative use of the new Norman elite of Yorkshire to endow and secure the new abbey, an enterprise adopted and extended by his son William II Rufus in 1088. By the end of Abbot Stephen's term of office his abbey had absorbed a remarkable number of land grants from a variety of greater and lesser aristocrats across the North and East Ridings, as well as spawned two daughter houses in Cumbria. This new study uncovers in meticulous detail the manoeuvres of the king, the abbot and the aristocracy of Yorkshire as each looked to make spiritual and political capital out of the grand new royal foundation.

A full and comprehensive survey of the development of the Cistercian Order which emerged from the tumultuous intellectual and religious fervour of the eleventh and twelfth centuries. The Cistercians (White Monks) were the most successful monastic experiment to emerge from the tumultuous intellectual and religious fervour of the eleventh and twelfth centuries. By around 1150 they had established houses the length and breadth of Western Christendom and were internationally renowned. They sought to return to a simple form of monastic life, as set down in the Rule of St Benedict, and preferred rural locations "far from the haunts of men".But, as recent research has shown, they were by no means isolated from society but influenced, and were influenced by, the world around them; they moved with the times. This book seeks to explore the phenomenon that was the Cistercian Order, drawing on recent research from various disciplines to consider what it was that made the Cistercians distinctive and how they responded to developments. The book addresses current debates regarding the origins and evolution of the Order; discusses the key primary sources for knowledge; and covers architecture, administration, daily life, spirituality, the economy and the monks' ties with the world. Professor Janet Burton teaches at the School of Archaeology, History and Anthropology, University of Wales Trinity Saint David; Dr Julie Kerr is Honorary Research Fellow in the School of History, University of St Andrews.

Abbeys and Priories of Medieval Wales is the first comprehensive, illustrated guide to the religious houses of Wales from the twelfth to sixteenth centuries. It offers a thorough introduction to the history of the monastic orders in Wales (the Benedictines, Cluniacs, Augustinians, Premonstratensians, Cistercians, the military orders and the friars), and to life inside medieval Welsh monasteries and nunneries, in addition to providing the histories of almost sixty communities of religious men and women, with descriptions of the standing remains of their buildings. As well as a being a scholarly book, a number of maps, ground plans and practical information make this an indispensable guide for visitors to Wales's monastic heritage.

A multi-disciplinary re-evaluation of the role of women religious in the Middle Ages, both inside and outside the cloister. Medieval women found diverse ways of expressing their religious aspirations: within the cloister as members of monastic and religious orders, within the world as vowesses, or between the two as anchorites. Via a range of disciplinary approaches, from history, archaeology, literature, and the visual arts, the essays in this volume challenge received scholarly narratives and re-examine the roles of women religious: their authority and agency within their own communities and the wider world; their learning and literacy; place in the landscape; and visual culture. Overall, they highlight the impact of women on the world around them, the significance of their presence in communities, and the experiences and legacies they left behind.

Abbeys and Priories of Medieval Wales is the first comprehensive, illustrated guide to the religious houses of Wales from the twelfth to sixteenth centuries. It offers a thorough introduction to the history of the monastic orders in Wales (the Benedictines, Cluniacs, Augustinians, Premonstratensians, Cistercians, the military orders and the friars), and to life inside medieval Welsh monasteries and nunneries, in addition to providing the histories of almost sixty communities of religious men and women, with descriptions of the standing remains of their buildings. As well as a being a scholarly book, a number of maps, ground plans and practical information make this an indispensable guide for visitors to Wales's monastic heritage.

New essays on the monastic life in the later middle ages show that far from being in decline, it remained rich and vibrant. In recent years there has been an increasing interest in the history of the numerous houses of monks, canons and nuns which existed in the medieval British Isles, considering them in their wider socio-cultural-economic context; historians are now questioning some of the older assumptions about monastic life in the later Middle Ages, and setting new approaches and new agenda. The present volume reflects these new trends. Its fifteen chapters assess diverseaspects of monastic history, focusing on the wide range of contacts which existed between religious communities and the laity in the later medieval British Isles, covering a range of different religious orders and houses. This period has often been considered to represent a general decline of the regular life; but on the contrary, the essays here demonstrate that there remained a rich monastic culture which, although different from that of earlier centuries, remained vibrant. CONTRIBUTORS: KAREN STOBER, JULIE KERR, EMILIA JAMROZIAK, MARTIN HEALE, COLMAN O CLABAIGH, ANDREW ABRAM, MICHAEL HICKS, JANET BURTON, KIMM PERKINS-CURRAN, JAMES CLARK, GLYN COPPACK, JENS ROHRKASTEN, SHEILA SWEETINBURGH, NICHOLAS ORME, CLAIRE CROSS

A series which is a model of its kind EDMUND KING, HISTORY The contemporary historians of Anglo-Norman England form a particular focus of this issue. There are contributions on Henry of Huntingdon's representation of civil war; on the political intent of the poems in the anonymous Life ofEdward the Confessor; on William of Malmesbury's depiction of Henry I; and on the influence upon historians of the late antique history attributed to Hegesippus. A paper on Gerald of Wales and Merlin brings valuable literary insights to bear. Other pieces tackle religious history (northern monasteries during the Anarchy, the abbey of Tiron) and politics (family history across the Conquest, the Norman brothers Urse de Abetot and Robert Dispenser, the friendship network of King Stephen's family). The volume begins with Judith Green's Allen Brown Memorial Lecture, which provides a wide-ranging account of kingship, lordsihp and community in eleventh-century England. CONTRIBUTORS: Judith Green, Janet Burton, Catherine A.M. Clarke, Sebastien Danielo, Emma Mason, Ad Putter, Kathleen Thompson, Jean A. Truax, Elizabeth M. Tyler, Bjoern Weiler, Neil Wright

Expert coverage and new assessments of the reign of King Stephen, set in social, political and European context. The turbulent reign of King Stephen is here subjected to a full assessment by leading scholars in the field. All of the most important aspects are fully covered: the impact of developments under Henry I on the origins of civil war; relations with the continent, as they affected Stephen's overall strategy and the foundation of religious houses; the opportunities which lured foreign mercenaries to England; mid-twelfth century legal developments and trends inrevenue-raising; baronial and episcopal allegiances; violent disorder and civil unrest; and the sequence of events which unfolded during the political crisis of July 1141. Taken together, they provide the fruits of the most recent research into and the most up to date interpretations of the intense political and military activity of the reign. CONTRIBUTORS: MARJORIE CHIBNALL, JUDITH GREEN, DAVID CROUCH, JANET BURTON, THOMAS BISSON, BRUCE O'BRIEN, GRAEME WHITE, PAUL DALTON, STEPHEN MARRITT, HUGH THOMAS, EDMUND KING

Cartulary of prosperous community of Byland, with lands in the North Riding of Yorkshire, Westmorland, and the south of Yorkshire and early interest in iron mining. The Cistercian community that finally settled at New Byland in Yorkshire had a turbulent start, fighting and feuding with neighbours, but after 1177 a more settled period followed, and Byland grew to enjoy considerable prosperitythrough the lands it acquired in the North Riding of Yorkshire, Westmorland, and in the south of Yorkshire where, with Rievaulx Abbey, Byland was instrumental in the development of iron mining. In the early years of the fifteenthcentury the monks of Byland compiled a cartulary, containing copies of their muniments. The current volume contains a full English calendar of the cartulary, with detailed notes on the documents. The cartulary copies are discussedin relation to the considerable number of original charters surviving from Byland, and antiquarian collections that contain copies of Byland documents no longer extant. The Introduction provides a detailed study of Byland's estates and economic activity, as well as its patrons and benefactors. JANET BURTON is Reader in Medieval History, University of Wales Lampeter.

First full-length survey of the fluid relationship between these two areas at a time of rapid change. This book provides the first comprehensive analysis of the development of northern England and southern Scotland in the formative era of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. How did "middle Britain" come to be divided between twoseparate unitary kingdoms called "England" and "Scotland"? How, and how differently, was government exercised and experienced? How did people identify themselves by their languages and naming practices? What major themes can be detected in the development of ecclesiastical structures and religious culture? What can be learned about the rural and the emerging urban environments in terms of lordly exploitation and control, settlement patterns and how the landscape itself evolved? These are among the key questions addressed by the contributors, who bring to bear multi-faceted approaches to medieval "middle Britain". Above all, by pursuing similarities and differences from a comparative "transnational" perspective it becomes clearer how the "old" interacted with the "new", what was exceptional and what was not, and how far the histories of northern England and southern Scotland point to common or not so commonfoundations and trajectories. KEITH STRINGER is Professor Emeritus of Medieval British History at Lancaster University; ANGUS WINCHESTER is Professor Emeritus of Local and Landscape History at Lancaster University. Contributors: Richard Britnell, Dauvit Broun, Janet Burton, David Ditchburn, Philip Dixon, Piers Dixon, Fiona Edmonds, Richard Oram, Keith Stringer, Chris Tabraham, Simon Taylor, Angus J.L. Winchester.

Monastic Wales - new approaches is an interdisciplinary collection of essays written by some of the leading scholars working on aspects of medieval Welsh history. The chapters in this volume consider the history, archaeology, architecture and wider cultural, social, political and economic context of the religious houses of Wales between the Norman conquest in the eleventh century, and the dissolution of the monasteries in the sixteenth.

[The series is] a necessary addition for any scholar working in this field. NOTTINGHAM MEDIEVAL STUDIES Editors: Janet Burton, Bjoern Weiler, Philipp Schofield, Karen Stoeber The thirteenth century brought the British Isles into ever closer contact with one another, and with medieval Europe as a whole. This international dimensionforms a dominant theme of this collection: it features essays on England's relations with the papal court; the adoption of European cultural norms in Scotland; Welsh society and crusading; English landholding in Ireland; and dealings between the kings of England and Navarre. Other papers, on ritual crucifixion, concepts of office and ethcis, and the English royal itinerary, show that the thirteenth century was also a period of profound political and cultural change, witnessing the transformation of legal and economic structures [represented here by case studies of noblewomen and their burial customs; and a prolonged inheritance dispute in Laxton]. This volume testifies to the continuing vitality and [with contributors from three continents and six countries] international nature of scholarship on medieval Britain; and moves beyond the Channel to make an important contribution to the history of medieval Europes. Contributors: ROBERT STACEY, FREDERIQUE LACHAUD, STEPHEN CHURCH, CHRISTIAN HILLEN, JESSICA NELSON, MATTHEW HAMMOND, KATHRYN HURLOCK, NICHOLAS VINCENT, ADAM DAVIES, HUI LIU, EMMA CAVELL, DAVID CROOK, BETH HARTLAND

This anthology provides a wide range of dramatic and worship material for seasonal celebrations. Thanksgiving resources include: Come, See What God Has Done, a Thanksgiving children's event featuring 6 learning centers designed for kindergarten through sixth grade; A One-Act Drama for Thanksgiving; Recalling Our Blessings, a responsive reading and interactive children's lesson; and Is It Still Wonderful?, a sermon for Thanksgiving Day. There are 5 plays of varying lengths, ages, and cast sizes for Christmas, as well as a "hanging of the greens" service, a children's story formatted both as a narrative that can be read and as a play. Copy privileges included.

Dedicated to providing fresh ideas for busy ministers and worship planners in a variety of settings, the "Worship Innovations" series offers practical resources that will bring the Bible to life and brighten your worship services. The easy-to-produce dramas and programs can be used in any size church, yet are flexible enough to fit almost any worship style. And each user-friendly resource comes with detailed instructions, including a complete list of everything you need to prepare for.
In this" Worship Innovations" volume, the focus is on the Lent and Easter season. Like the first two books, this is a rich storehouse that will supply you with many seasons worth of compelling, scripturally authentic material. Included are:
- "The Paths to Calvary" -- a series of six short dramatic monologues for the weeks leading up to Easter in which biblical characters tell of their encounters with Jesus
- "Our Place at the Table" -- a dramatic re-enactment of the events preceding the Last Supper, culminating in a congregational communion service
- "A Passover to Remember" -- a complete Maundy Thursday service with a modified Passover seder as the centerpiece
- "A Growing Darkness" -- a Good Friday tenebrae service featuring seven readings about the day's events, brought to life with several costumed monologues
- "Seven Words to Die By" -- based on Christ's seven last words, this tenebrae service finds meaningful truths in the somber events of the crucifixion through monologues, scripture readings, music, and prayers
- "Surprise at Sunrise" -- an Easter sunrise service depicting the resurrection discovery in four vignettes using child actors
- "The Week of Weeks" -- a set of interactive scripture readings for each of the Sundays between Easter and Pentecost
Other titles in the Worship Innovations series:
Hanging The Greens For Christmas
Easy Bible Drama
Janet Burton is a pastor's wife, minister of education, and writer of Christian worship and education resources. The Burtons, who have served churches in Texas and New Mexico for almost fifty years, reside in Austin, Texas, where her husband Jack serves as an interim pastor for churches in transition. Author of four books and a contributor to five others, Mrs. Burton's specialty is Sunday school Bible study curriculum. In addition, she has contributed weekly or monthly columns to three Christian newspapers. Burton attended Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois, and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas.

Worship in today's mainline churches is changing faster than many ministry leaders would like, yet not fast enough to satisfy many laypeople who want to experience something fresh when they attend worship. While older members may resist losing valued traditions, younger people often want things done in new ways. "Worship Innovations: Hanging The Greens For Christmas" finds a middle ground with new approaches to valued traditions of holiday worship.
Beginning with a step-by-step guide for initiating a "Hanging the Greens" celebration, Janet Burton offers nine creative, easy-to-produce programs in which all ages of the church family can participate in the process of decorating worship areas for the Advent and Christmas seasons. She also includes five plans for breathing new life into using the Advent wreath. Best of all, these practical ideas are very flexible and easily adapted to fit the worship style of almost any congregation. It's a perfect way to usher in the holiday season and prepare for the birth of the Savior
"In this sage book, Janet Burton gives an exhaustive study and ideas for any church to make Hanging of the Greens a worshipful, meaningful experience. It is chock-full of biblical insights."
Dr. W.E. (Bill) Thorn
Nationally known pastor, evangelist, speaker, and humorist
"The reader will be immediately caught up in Janet Burton's enthusiasm for her subject. You'll find yourself -- as I did -- caught up in Hanging The Greens For Christmas as an excellent option for innovative worship. I am impressed with the variety of approaches... each program is fresh and innovative. And in this day when our families need much nurturing, it's good to see that Janet Burton has used the opportunity to make a strong family emphasis in her presentations."
Rev. J. Kenneth Robinson
Writer and minister of music and education
Janet Burton has been a pastor's wife and Christian educator for 45 years. For 20 of those years she served as Minister of Education at Woodlawn Baptist Church in Austin, Texas, where her husband was pastor. She has been a regular faculty leader in the area of adult ministries at Glorieta Baptist Conference Center, and in churches throughout Texas, New Mexico, and other midwest and southern states. Author of three books and a contributor to five others, Mrs. Burton's specialty is Sunday School Bible study curriculum. She has 17 quarters of lessons and many articles to her credit. In addition, she has contributed weekly or monthly columns to three Christian newspapers. Burton studied Christian education at Wheaton College in Illinois, and at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas.

Easy Bible Drama, you will meet Bible persons just outside their recorded stories. Listen to Sarah and Isaac the evening he came home from Mt. Moriah; listen in as Joseph (in Potiphar's jail) confronts Satan on whether integrity pays. Agonize with Anne (the mother of Mary) as she sends her daughter off to register for taxes in Bethlehem; hear what Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea say to each other in private after Nicodemus secretly meets with Jesus.

Each of these fifteen new dramas comes with issues and questions designed to take readers deeper into a study of the Bible story itself. They can form the heart of a dynamic worship service, inspire a sermon, brighten a Bible study, or energize a personal walk in the word of God. Also included is a chapter of "how-to's" for the church wanting to initiate the use of drama in worship.

The Historia Selebiensis Monasterii is an account of the origins of the earliest Norman abbey to be founded in the north of England following the Conquest of 1066, and of the history of the monastery in its first one hundred and six years. The history was written by a young monk of Selby in 1174, and the unique medieval manuscript in which it survives appears to have been sent from Selby to the French monastery of Auxerre, from where the author claimed the founder-monk of Selby came. Weaving together historical narrative and miracles associated with the relic held at Selby Abbey, the middle finger of St Germanus of Auxerre, the author produced a lively and entertaining account designed to record the history of his monastery and promote the cult of the relic around which it had grown up. At the same time he created a past, and a corporate memory of that past, for his community. This volume contains a critical edition of the Historia, with English translation, and textual notes and historical commentary. The Introduction explores the dynamics of the text - its purpose, composition, and use of sources - and its significance as a source for monastic history. It offers a reassessment of the origins of the first Norman abbey in northern England.