A 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).

"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."
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.

List of Illustrations
Abbreviations
Introduction
PART I
CLARE: FRANCISCAN WOMEN
Chapter 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 II
CLARE: HER WRITINGS
Chapter 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 III
CLARE: HER WRITINGS IN TRANSLATION
Clare’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