Jerome (ca. 347-420) was a polarizing figure during his lifetime and is still, his status as a Doctor of the Church notwithstanding. His self-promotion has captured the attention of scholars in recent decades. Nonetheless, he did attract disciples who found his who found his self-advertised claims to expertise in the spiritual life appealing. A self-proclaimed expert in Biblical interpretation as well, Jerome’s letters demonstrate that he used a wide variety of Biblical figures as models whose actions and attitudes could be profitably imitated by his own disciples in their own quests to attain spiritual maturity. One aspect of Jerome’s use of Biblical models that may be surprising is the wide variety of Biblical models he used. For example, one might expect that in writing about the life of the dedicated virgin, most famously to Eustochium (Ep. 22) and to Demetrias (Ep. 130), that Jerome would encourage imitation of many of the same models. However, although Jerome does discuss the Prophet Elijah in both letters, there is otherwise very little overlap between the letters in use of Biblical models. In fact, while Jerome recommends many such figures for Eustochium, his letter to Demetrias contains only a handful of models from the Bible. Instead, in this letter, Jerome also refers to the examples of family members (her mother and grandmother) as well as that of the Roman martyr St. Agnes. Several possible reasons account for this difference. One reason could simply be the thirty year interlude between the two letters. Three decades of additional thought and experience could have caused changes in Jerome’s approach. In addition, the letter to Eustochium was well-known, so he would not have wished to repeat himself unnecessarily. Another possibility, and one that this paper will stress, is that Jerome was also attempting to personalize the letters for the needs and interests of the main addressees. Certainly the letters were intended to be widely read, and to be of use to many more women that just Eustochium and Demetrias. Yet the differences in models, not just in these two letters, but others as well, can be read as demonstrating that Jerome sought not just to advertise his own expertise, but also to adapt to the needs of his disciples and potential disciples.
Selected Bibliography
Adkin, Neil. Jerome on Virginity. A Commentary on the Libellus de virginitate servanda (Letter 22). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2003.
Cain, Andrew. The Letters of Jerome, Asceticism, Biblical Exegesis, and the Construction of Christian Authority in Late Antiquity. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2009.
Clark, Elizabeth. Reading Renunciation: Asceticism and Scripture in Early Christianity.
Princeton, NJ: Princeton UP, 1999.
Driver, Steve. “From Palestinian Ignorance to Egyptian Wisdom: Jerome & Cassian on the Monastic Life.” American Benedictine Review 48:3 (1997): 293-315.
Feichtinger, Barbara. “Apostolae apostolorum:” Frauenaskese als Befreiung und Zwang bei Hieronymus. Frankfurt-on-Main: Peter Lang, 1995.
Hausherr, Irénée. Spiritual Direction in the Early Christian East. Translated by Anthony P. Gythiel. Cisterican Studies Series 116. Kalamazoo, MI: Cistercian Publications, 1990.
Jaffee, Martin S. “A Rabbinic Ontology of the Written and Spoken Word: On Discipleship, Transformative Knowledge, and the Living Texts of the Oral Torah.” Journal of the American Academy of Religion 65:3 (1997): 525-549.
Kamesar, Adam. Jerome, Greek Scholarship, and the Hebrew Bible: A study of the Quaestiones Hebraicae in Genesim. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1993.
Kelly, J.N.D. Jerome: His Life, Writings and Controversies. Westminster, MD: Christian Classics, 1975.
Krumeich, Christa. Hieronymus und die Christlichen feminae clarissimae. Bonn: R. Habelt, 1993.
Labourt, Jérôme. Jérôme: Lettres. 8 vol. Paris: Éditions du Cerf, 1949-1963.
Laurence, Patrick. Jérôme et le nouveau modèle féminin: la conversion á la vie parfaite. Paris: Institut des études augustiniennes, 1997.
Mirri, Luciana. La Dolcezza nella Lotta: Donne e ascesi secondo Girolamo. Edizioni Qiqajon, 1996.
Rousseau, Philip. Ascetics, Authority, and the Church in the Age of Jerome and Cassian. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1978.
Williams, Megan Hale. The Monk and the Book: Jerome & the Making of Christian Scholarship. Chicago & London: U. of Chicago Press, 2006.
CURRICULUM VITAE
CHRISTINE McCANN
Department of History
Norwich University
Northfield, US
Education
Degrees:
1998 Ph.D. History, University of California, Santa Barbara.
1992 M.A. History, University of California, Santa Barbara.
1990 B.A. History, Indiana University. With high honors.
Fields:
Medieval Europe; Classical Greece & Rome; Late Antiquity; Christianity; early Islamic
Relevant Employment
Associate Professor, Norwich University History Department. 2004-
Assistant Professor, Norwich University History Department. 1998-2004.
Adjunct Lecturer, Pepperdine University Humanities Division. Summer, 1998.
Lecturer, U.C. Santa Barbara History Department. Summer, 1998.
Teaching Assistant, U.C. Santa Barbara History Department. 1991-95.
Courses Taught:
World Civilization to 1500 C.E. Summer 1998, Fall 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009
World Civilization Since 1500 C.E. Spring 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010
Ancient Greece & Rome, Fall 2010
Historical Methods Spring 2002
Classical Greece Spring 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, Fall 2008
Ancient Rome Fall 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, Spring 2008, 2010
Middle Ages Spring 1999, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007
The Crusades Fall, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009
Islamic Civilization to 1453 Fall 2000, 2002, 2004
Europe, 1300-1648 Fall, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2005
History of Christianity to A.D. 800 1996, Fall 1999, Spring 2001
Christianity in Late Antiquity Spring 2004
Colloquium in Ancient History: Fall 2010
Colloquium in Medieval European History: Fall 2010
Later Roman Empire: 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011
Western Civilization to 1050 C.E. Summer, 1998
Independent Study, 2004, 2005, 2006
Honors in History, 2000-01 (1 student); 2003-04 (2 students)
Duties & Assignments at Norwich
Acting Chair, Department of History & Political Science, Fall, 2007.
History Program Coordinator, 2001-present.
Vice-President, Friends of the Norwich University Library, 2006-2010
Professional Activities
Publications:
“Physician of the Soul: Augustine and Spiritual Mentoring.” Studia Patristica 49 (2010): 45-49.
“The Influence of Manichaeism on Augustine of Hippo as a Spiritual Mentor.” Cistercian Studies Quarterly 44.3 (2009): 255-277.
“‘Tú conoces mejor que yo’” la dinámica del conocimiento transformador, en la relación de Agustín con Paulino de Nola.” Tr. Enrique Eguiarte. Augustinus 52 (2007): 133-137.
“‘You know better than I do’: The Dynamics of Transformative Knowledge in Augustine of Hippo and Paulinus of Nola’s Relationship.” Studia Patristica 43 (2006): 191-194.
“Abbots and Monks in the Dialogues of Gregory the Great.” Studia Monastica 40 (1998): 11-21.
“Spiritual Mentoring in John Cassian’s Conferences.” American Benedictine Review 48 (June 1997): 212-223.
Conference papers:
“Teacher and Nutricius: St. Jerome as a Spiritual Mentor.” Given at the Annual Meeting of the North American Patristics Society, Chicago, 2010.
“Health and the spiritual physician: evidence from Paulinus of Nola.” Given at the Annual Meeting of the North American Patristics Society, Chicago, 2008.
“Physician of the soul: Augustine of Hippo and Spiritual Mentoring.” Given at the Fifteenth International Conference on Patristic studies, Oxford University, August 2007.
“Augustine, Asceticism, and Authority.” Given at the Annual Meeting of the North American Patristics Society, Loyola University, Chicago, 2005.
“‘You know better than I do:’ The Dynamics of Transformative Knowledge in Augustine of Hippo and Paulinus of Nola’s Relationship.” Given at the Fourteenth International Conference on Patristic Studies, Oxford University, August 2003.
“Affective Spirituality in the Early Middle Ages: The Evidence from Hagiography.” Given at the 2002 International Medieval Congress, U. of Leeds.
“Spiritual Mentoring between Time and Eternity.” Given at the 2000 International Medieval Congress, University of Leeds.
“Spiritual Mentoring and the Otherworld According to Gregory the Great.” Given at the 35th International Congress on Medieval Studies, Western Michigan University, 2000.
“The Pelagians and Spiritual Mentoring: Within the Tradition?” Given at the 1998 winter meeting of the American Catholic Historical Association, Seattle, WA.
“Spiritual Mentoring in Early Medieval Ireland.” Given at the 1997 annual meeting of the Medieval Association of the Pacific, U. of Hawaii.
"Augustine of Hippo as Spiritual Mentor." Given at the 1997 annual meeting of the American Historical Association, New York.
“The Ascetic Virtues in the Dialogues of Gregory the Great.” Given at the 1996 annual meeting of the Medieval Association of the Pacific, U. of San Diego.
“The Warmth of Desire: The Will of the Disciple in John Cassian’s Thought.” Given at the 1994 annual meeting of the Medieval Association of the Pacific, University of Washington, Seattle.
Seminars:
“Homer and Hesiod.” Co-sponsored by the Center for Hellenic Studies and the Council of Independent Colleges. July, 2008.
Offices: Board of Directors, New England Medieval Conference, 2010-.
University Committees and other assignments
Ad hoc “Reduction in Teaching Load” 2009- (chair)
University Curriculum Committee, 2005-
Divisional Curriculum Committee, Chair, 2005-
Licensure Committee, 1999-present
Library Committee, 1999-2008t. Chair, 2004-2006.
Rhodes Scholarship Committee, 2000-2007
Search Committee for University Librarian, 2000 and 2001
Search Committees for History and Political Science Department (9 searches)
Professional Awards, Honors, and Memberships
Grants:
2011: Faculty Release Time Program, Norwich University
2010: Curriculum Development Grant, Norwich University.
2007 Charles A. Dana Category I Grant: Norwich University
2007 Charles A. Dana Research Grant: Norwich University
2006 Independent Study Leave, Fall Semester: Norwich University
2005 Charles A. Dana Research Grant: Norwich University
2004 Board of Fellows Faculty Development Prize: Norwich University
2002 Charles A. Dana Research Grant: Norwich University
2001 Charles A. Dana Category I Grant: Norwich University
2000 Charles A. Dana Research Grant: Norwich University
1999 Charles A. Dana Research Grant: Norwich University
1997 Travel Grant: U.C. Santa Barbara History Dept.
1997 Travel Grant: U.C. Santa Barbara Graduate Division
1996-1997 Regents Dissertation Fellowship: U.C. Santa Barbara History Dept.
1996 Travel Grant: U.C. Santa Barbara Medieval Studies Program
1996 Travel Grant: U.C. Santa Barbara History Dept.
1995-1996 Graduate Research Assistantship: U.C. Santa Barbara Graduate Division
1995 Esme Frost Fellowship: U.C. Santa Barbara History Dept.
1990-1991 Nonresident Tuition Fellowship: U.C. Santa Barbara History Dept.
Honors:
1994 Distinction on doctoral qualifying exams
1989 Phi Beta Kappa, Indiana University
Professional Memberships:
American Society of Church History
International Hagiography Society
New England Medieval Conference
North American Patristics Society
Society for the Study of Christian Spirituality
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