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The dissertation explores the spirituality of the Bridgettine Sisters of Syon Abbey in 15th-16th century England. It argues that Syon Abbey had a unique three-pronged spirituality: 1) A contemplative spirituality centered around their daily Marian prayers and rituals. 2) A spirituality of reading through their love of learning. 3) A reformative spirituality modeled after St. Bridget and Catherine of Siena. This created a resilient spirit that allowed the sisters to thrive despite challenges like the Dissolution of the Monasteries under King Henry VIII. The dissertation uses an interdisciplinary approach to understand how Syon Abbey's spirituality influenced religious and aristocratic women of the time period
Dissertation Presentation expanded
- 1. The Spirituality of the Bridgettine Sisters of Syon Abbey in the Context of the Spirituality of English Women of the Late 15th and 16th Centuries Dissertation Defense Presentation Why did its story have to be told? The seeds for this dissertation began in the spring of 2004 when in one of my first seated classes at CUA (Classics in Christian Spirituality II) we were studying spirituality in the British Isles and Fr. Regis Armstrong asked the question, “Where were the women spiritual writers in England?” That question sent me on a search for answers. In that search I stumbled upon Syon Abbey. At the time, little had been written on Syon and what was written primarily came from the disciplines of History and English. Yet Syon drew me in. I was driven to learn more about this abbey. There were four facts that intensified this interest. The first was that Syon Abbey was a double monastery led by an abbess. Imagine that, I thought, men and women working side-by- side in shared ministry. The second was when I learned Syon was a Bridgettine foundation, an Order founded by a woman. The third was that it was known for its libraries. Surely, I postulated, women in this abbey must have written. The fourth was that, at the time, it was still a functioning monastery, though no longer as a double monastery. Syon was the only English monastery to exist continuously since the Middle Ages; that made it the only one to survive the Henry VIII’s Dissolution. In those four facts rested my passions: the ability for men and women to work side-by- side in equal ministry for the cause of the Gospel; women’s studies, particularly women mystics whose writings clearly had something significant to say to the Church and to humankind in their journey toward full humanity; and the power of learning and engaging in scholarship balanced by a rich and fruitful prayer life to the point where there really is no distinction between the two. To that I added another passion – ecumenism. In the depths of my being I yearn for all people of faith to accept each other and work together for the common good of all humanity. Historically, the Church has divided more people groups than it has united. To be effective in the work of ecumenism it is essential to understand the beliefs and practices of others. I also realized that choosing this topic would enable me to learn about the Catholic faith in ways I had not yet been able to do. Though my previous studies in spirituality and my experience teaching the history of Christianity taught me a lot, there was much that I did not know – and I discovered how very much that was as I worked on chapters 3 &4 on the Rule and spirit of life at Syon. So, this dissertation embodied who I am and what I am passionate about. Yet the dissertation could not be only about me. These elements only served to motivate and energize me in my research and writing. This leads me to explain then why I believe this dissertation needed to be written and what contribution it will make to scholarship.
- 2. Syon is such a unique monastery, more of its story needed to be told. The “more” that needed to be uncovered and told was its influence upon the women of England in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. I wanted to discover and share the spirituality of the Bridgettines of Syon Abbey. This was such a tenacious group of faithful; I wanted to explore and tell what it was about their spirituality that gave them this tenacious spirit. I wanted to glimpse the lives of the women who were touched in some way by Syon whether by profession, visitation, spiritual benefit, or reading its literature when they began to be produced in the last decade of the fifteenth century through 1530. To do this most effectively, it had to be approached using an interdisciplinary methodology. Historically, our educational approaches have been far too compartmentalized. We study history here, literature there, theology here and spirituality there. There often seems to be an underlying bias or assumption that one’s respective discipline is the most important. Life, in reality, however, does not work that way. One discipline inevitably leads to another which connects to another which leads to another and back around again to the starting point. Spirituality is not something separate to be studied. It is the essence of who a person or group is and it gives form and function to the life that is lived. Main points So, what were the main points of my dissertation? I began by presenting my definition, my understanding, of spirituality. That word – spirituality – especially in Protestant circles, is often misunderstood and far too narrowly defined. I wanted the readers of this dissertation to understand my definition of spirituality. The second point was historical. Historically: Background To understand a spirituality one must begin by understanding the context in which something begins. So I began by presenting the historical background of the foundation of the Bridgettine Order by Bridget of Sweden in the late fourteenth century. I then moved to this historical foreground. Syon Abbey was founded as a royal foundation in 1415 by Henry V, maybe by mixed motives, may not. In the midst of historically challenging times, Syon thrived for 100 years until the antics of Henry VIII witnessed (actually orchestrated) its dissolution. Syon did, however, hold on to the very end of the dissolution being one of the last houses closed. When the Oath of Supremacy was held before the professed of Syon, they were not unanimous in their response. Yet in the midst of that controversy, they remained faithful to their vows and commitment. Their faithfulness led them to creatively figure out how to continue to live into their Rule and the spirit of life of their founders until in 1861 when they could again return to their homeland. The third point was theological. Theologically: Their Rule of Life was technically Augustinian with Bridgettine constitutions. The Spirit of Life of Syon was discovered nested within the constitutions and the Syon Additions which regulated the ebb and flow of daily living at the Abbey.
- 3. The fourth point was anthropological. Anthropologically: Examination of documents is insufficient to fully understand the spirituality of a community and its affect on its surrounding community. There was not a facet of life untouched by Syon. As a royal foundation, it influenced the lives of the ruling families. This royal connection drew in vast interest from aristocratic families. There were also numerous of the Gentry class among its professed. It even had practices that touched the lives of the common people of the English countryside. Arguably no greater effect was found than in its educational impact via its libraries and it book publications. The final point was a representative symbol of Syon’s spirituality. Symbolically: This research involved a search for a symbol incorporating the totality of Syon as a community who embraced a love of God and a love of learning with a reforming spirit while being rooted in its historical context. (historical-contextual, theological, and anthropological aspects) What I settled on was a Syon woodcut. Historically: The woodcut imaged Bridget of Sweden receiving a revelation from an angel. On her far right hand side was a king’s crown and a shield. Theologically: In the upper left-hand corner of the woodcut was an image of the Trinity (God the Father, holding in his arms the crucified Son, with the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove hovering beneath them). But there was more. In the upper right-hand corner was the Virgin Mary, kneeling in a stable, gazing upon her infant son. At the bottom center kneeling to the left and right of Bridget’s feet was a Bridgettine nun and monk. Anthropologically: In the center, Bridget was sitting at her desk writing down revelation. On the right side, center was a pilgrim’s hat, bag, and staff . Syon’s spirituality of loving God expressed in honor and devotion to Mary, united with a love of learning and a reforming spirituality portray a life-giving symbiotic relationship into which the sisters lived each day. Conclusion – There are three prongs to the uniqueness of Syon and its energized influence on the women of England. 1) There was a contemplative spirituality integral to the sisters’ form of life. They intentionally practiced their love for God and their devotion to Mary through the rhythm of each day as they sang their Marian focused Bridgettine Divine Office. 2) There was a spirituality of reading that permitted, and even encouraged, the sisters to engage the mind in their love of learning. 3) Theirs was a reformative spirituality, modeled on the life and literature of Bridget & Catherine of Siena. When this three-pronged spirituality was woven together, it created within the women a tenacious spirit with a resilient resolve to thrive, even when caught in the vortex of socio- political and religious challenges.