Description
In recent years, stories of religious universities and institutions grappling with their slave-owning past have made headlines in the news. People find it shocking that the Church itself could have been involved in such a sordid business. This timely book, the result of many years of research, is a study of the origins of this problem. Mary E. Sommar examines how the church sought to establish norms for slave ownership on the part of ecclesiastical institutions and personnel, and for others' behavior towards such slaves. The story begins in the New Testament era, when the earliest Christian norms were established, and continues up to thirteenth-century establishment of a body of canon law that would persist into the twentieth century. Along with her analysis of the various policies and statutes, Sommar draws on chronicles, letters, and other documents from each of the various historical periods to provide insight into the situations of unfree ecclesiastical dependents. She finds that unfree dependents of the Church actually had less chance of achieving freedom than did the slaves of other masters. The church authorities' duty to preserve the Church's patrimony for the needs of future generations led them to hold on tightly to their unfree human resources. This accessibly written book does not present an apology for the behavior of past Christian leaders, but attempts to learn what they did and to arrive at some understanding of why they made those choices.
About the Author
Mary Sommar has taught ancient and medieval history for the past twenty years, most of them at Millersville University in Pennsylvania. She also spent two years as a visiting scholar at the Stephan Kuttner Institute for Medieval Canon Law in Munich, Germany and a year as a Visiting Fellow at Yale University.
Reviews
The Slaves of the Churches is recommended for anyone interested in the subject. It is well-written, informative, and invites further inquiries on a subject that, sadly, has lost none of its relevance in modern times. * Anders Martinsen, Oslo Metropolitan University, Review of Biblical Literature *
Along with her analysis of the various policies and statutes, Sommar draws on chronicles, letters, and other documents from each of the various historical periods to provide insight into the situations of unfree ecclesiastical dependents. She finds that unfree dependents of the Church actually had less chance of achieving freedom than did the slaves of other masters. The church authorities' duty to preserve the Church's patrimony for the needs of future generations led them to hold on tightly to their unfree human resources. This accessibly written book does not present an apology for the behavior of past Christian leaders, but attempts to learn what they did and to arrive at some understanding of why they made those choices. * Morteza Hajizadeh, The New Books Network *
This broad contextualising of the specific investigation is executed with a sureness of touch and range of sources that make for a compelling read... * Charles George, Ecclesiastical Law Journal *
This work is especially timely given recent developments, and is accessible for undergraduates while remaining valuable to scholars. * J. P. Blosser, CHOICE *
This book will be valuable to those who are curious about how individual churches in Europe regulated slavery and serfdom. However, it will not answer questions about the social practice and meaning of bondage in the Church as a whole. * Alessandro Stanziani, Journal of Interdisciplinary History *
The book does not present an apology for the behavior of past Christian leaders, but attempts to learn what they did and to arrive at some understanding of why they made those choices. * Interpretation: A Journal of Bible and Theology *
Mary Sommar's well-researched and accessible work takes us from the earliest days of Christian institutions to the late thirteenth century. * Richard Rathbone, Modern Believing *
The book is significant for establishing for students and general readers that throughout the periods and regions covered, churches and the clergy consistently owned enslaved individuals and families. * Rebecca A. Devlin, Church History *
The most striking feature of this book is its impressive chronological scope, spanning the first through the twelfth centuries. * Speculum 98/4 *
Teachers will find this book attractive because it is written in a style that is appealing to a larger audience. * Justin S. Kirkland, Religious Studies Review *
Book Information
ISBN 9780190073268
Author Mary E. Sommar
Format Hardback
Page Count 280
Imprint Oxford University Press Inc
Publisher Oxford University Press Inc
Weight(grams) 1g
Dimensions(mm) 160mm * 236mm * 28mm
About the Author
Mary Sommar has taught ancient and medieval history for the past twenty years, most of them at Millersville University in Pennsylvania. She also spent two years as a visiting scholar at the Stephan Kuttner Institute for Medieval Canon Law in Munich, Germany and a year as a Visiting Fellow at Yale University.
Reviews
The Slaves of the Churches is recommended for anyone interested in the subject. It is well-written, informative, and invites further inquiries on a subject that, sadly, has lost none of its relevance in modern times. * Anders Martinsen, Oslo Metropolitan University, Review of Biblical Literature *
Along with her analysis of the various policies and statutes, Sommar draws on chronicles, letters, and other documents from each of the various historical periods to provide insight into the situations of unfree ecclesiastical dependents. She finds that unfree dependents of the Church actually had less chance of achieving freedom than did the slaves of other masters. The church authorities' duty to preserve the Church's patrimony for the needs of future generations led them to hold on tightly to their unfree human resources. This accessibly written book does not present an apology for the behavior of past Christian leaders, but attempts to learn what they did and to arrive at some understanding of why they made those choices. * Morteza Hajizadeh, The New Books Network *
This broad contextualising of the specific investigation is executed with a sureness of touch and range of sources that make for a compelling read... * Charles George, Ecclesiastical Law Journal *
This work is especially timely given recent developments, and is accessible for undergraduates while remaining valuable to scholars. * J. P. Blosser, CHOICE *
This book will be valuable to those who are curious about how individual churches in Europe regulated slavery and serfdom. However, it will not answer questions about the social practice and meaning of bondage in the Church as a whole. * Alessandro Stanziani, Journal of Interdisciplinary History *
The book does not present an apology for the behavior of past Christian leaders, but attempts to learn what they did and to arrive at some understanding of why they made those choices. * Interpretation: A Journal of Bible and Theology *
Mary Sommar's well-researched and accessible work takes us from the earliest days of Christian institutions to the late thirteenth century. * Richard Rathbone, Modern Believing *
The book is significant for establishing for students and general readers that throughout the periods and regions covered, churches and the clergy consistently owned enslaved individuals and families. * Rebecca A. Devlin, Church History *
The most striking feature of this book is its impressive chronological scope, spanning the first through the twelfth centuries. * Speculum 98/4 *
Teachers will find this book attractive because it is written in a style that is appealing to a larger audience. * Justin S. Kirkland, Religious Studies Review *
Book Information
ISBN 9780190073268
Author Mary E. Sommar
Format Hardback
Page Count 280
Imprint Oxford University Press Inc
Publisher Oxford University Press Inc
Weight(grams) 1g
Dimensions(mm) 160mm * 236mm * 28mm
