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Daughter of a nobleman of Assisi, Clare left her family to follow St Francis. Her total embracing of poverty led to great personal difficulties. Unlike the male Franciscans she and other female members of the Franciscan circle led enclosed lives in monasteries of the order she co-founded, the Poor Ladies (later Poor Clares) which spread throughout Europe. Her writings had as a result a deep impact on later medieval female spirituality. This book offers a text gathering the best of international research to offer an up-to-date and comprehensive introduction to Clare of Assisi and the first Franciscan women, introduces students to the person of Clare of Assisi, her place within Franciscanism, and her contribution to the 13th century women s movementand studies Clare of Assisi from historical, theological, spiritual, political, and literary perspectives.
About the author
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).
