Given the significance of spiritual direction in modern Christianity, surprisingly little attention has been given to the tradition upon which today's spiritual direction is built. "A Woman's Way" shows that there is a long and interesting history Patricia Ranft sheds light on the understanding society had of women as spiritual beings and on the position of women in a Christian society. This book delineates the history of spiritual direction for women and by women within the larger context of the history of Christian spirituality and its understanding of human perfectibility. By examining the ways in which women practised spiritual direction, this study aims to reveal the degree to which women influenced society by using an avenue of influence previously overlooked by scholars.

Historians have long noted the intense debates nineteenth and twentieth-century scholars had over the concept of work, but few are aware of the medieval debates over work that set the stage for modern discussions. Indeed, medieval society established the framework within which modern Western ideas about work have grown. It is essential, therefore, that we learn what medieval thinkers had to say on the subject. This study addresses this need by examining the thought of Peter Damian and numerous other religious leaders and groups of the High Middle Ages for evidence of their contributions. The result is a deepening of our historical understanding of the concept of work as well as widening our appreciation of the modern world's debt to medieval society.

Western intellectual tradition has long been viewed as an exclusive male bastion, but "Women in Western Intellectual Culture, 600-1500" proves that this thesis is no longer tenable. By identifying and analyzing the intellectual writings and activities of women throughout the centuries this study, the first of two volumes, documents a level of participation in intellectual matters that will surprise many readers. The quality and quantity of these contributions will persuade even the skeptic that women's voices deserve more attention in intellectual history.

Given the significance of spiritual direction in modern Christianity, surprisingly little attention has been given to the tradition upon which today's spiritual direction is built. A long and interesting history does exist, though, as shown by Patricia Ranft in A Woman's Way. Ranft's insights shed light on the understanding society had of women as spiritual beings and on the position of women in a Christian society. This book delineates the history of spiritual direction for women and by women within the larger context of the history of Christian spirituality and its understanding of human perfectibility. By examining the ways in which women practiced spiritual direction, this study reveals the degree to which women influenced society by using an avenue of influence previously overlooked by scholars.

Given the significance of spiritual direction in modern Christianity, surprisingly little attention has been given to the tradition upon which today's spiritual direction is built. A long and interesting history does exist, though, as shown by Patricia Ranft in A Woman's Way . Ranft's insights shed light on the understanding society had of women as spiritual beings and on the position of women in a Christian society. This book delineates the history of spiritual direction for women and by women within the larger context of the history of Christian spirituality and its understanding of human perfectibility. By examining the ways in which women practiced spiritual direction, this study reveals the degree to which women influenced society by using an avenue of influence previously overlooked by scholars.