Companion to Clare of Assisi

Joan Mueller, Ph.D. (1992) in Theology, Duquesne Univeristy, is Professor of Systematic Theology and Christian Spirituality at Creighton University. Her extensive publications on Clare of Assisi and the Franciscan movement include The Privilege of Poverty (Penn State University Press, 2006).

• List of Illustrations Abbreviations Introduction PART ICLARE: FRANCISCAN WOMENChapter One The Franciscan Choice Chapter Two The Monastery of S Damiano Chapter Three The Politics of “Infant’s Milk”: Clare of Assisi and the Privilege of Poverty Chapter Four The Ordo that Gregory IX Founded: Clare among other Ugolinian Sisters PART IICLARE: HER WRITINGSChapter Five Reading Clare’s Letters in Context Chapter Six The Agnes Legend in Clare’s Letters Appendix: The Legend of S Agnes of Rome Chapter Seven Clare’s Forma Vitae: Unique Contributions PART IIICLARE: HER WRITINGS IN TRANSLATIONClare’s First Letter to Agnes Clare’s Second Letter to Agnes Clare’s Third Letter to Agnes Clare’s Fourth Letter to Agnes Clare’s Forma Vitae 275Bibliography Index Illustrations

"A Companion to Clare of Assisi is thus recommended to university and seminary libraries as an irnportant reference book, as well as for inclusion in courses which study the lives of medieval religious women." - Bruce Paolozzi, Claremont Graduate University, in: Anglican and Episcopal History (2012), pp. 462-463"This book is well produced and edited, containing eight beautiful and useful illustrations at the back. [...] Overall this is an engaging and serendipitous book. Collecting the results of the industry of Franciscan research, especially as it relates to Clare, is a monumental task and Mueller has pulled it off well. The wealth of contemporary studies incorporated in this book make it extremely useful to scholars and students alike." - Donald S. Prudlo, Francia-Recensio 2012"Bringing together the best of international research, the text examines Clare's importance within the early Franciscan milieu and her contribution to the thirteenth-century women's movement." - in: Studies in Spirituality Vol. 21 (2011), pp. 374-375"Questo di J.M. e’uno dei migliori lavori realizzati in lingua inglese su Chiara di Assisi negli ultimi anni. L’A. si inserisce definitivamente nel gruppo degli specialisti di Santa Chiara, con un lavoro che ha il pregio non soltanto di tenere conto di tutta la migliore bibliografia in tante lingue diverse […] ma anche di fornire nuove piste di riflessione e approfondimento." - Marco Bartoli, Universita’ di Roma LUMSA, in: Revue d’Histoire Ecclésiastique