Cambridge expert talks on prayer and images

Following the official opening of Norwich Cathedral Hostry by Her Majesty the Queen, the Hostry’s Weston Room was host to another special guest history of Christianity expert Professor Eamon Duffy last week. 

 

Professor Eamon Duffy, Professor of the History of Christianity and a Fellow and Director of Studies of Magdalene College, Cambridge is famous for his popular works on late medieval religious belief such as The Stripping of the Altars (1992) and Marking the Hours (2007) as well as for his broadcasting career.

 

Having given a morning lecture in Gloucester Cathedral, he stopping off in Cambridge in order to vote before he arrived in Norwich on Thursday 6 May to give his lecture! 

A grateful audience of over 100 people waited in rapt anticipation as Professor Duffy was introduced by Vice-Dean Canon Jeremy Haselock of the chapter of Norwich Cathedral and Chairman of Hungate Medieval Art.

 

Entitled “Praying with Images in the Middle Ages”, the talk surveyed the role of paintings, carvings, statues and engravings in medieval religion. It began with a dismissal of the view, traditionally held by some historians, that medieval society thought praying in front of a painting or statue was an inferior type of prayer.  Instead Professor Duffy argued that religious images were in fact an important tool used in a number of rites and sacraments and for engaging ordinary people in the folds of Christianity.  As well as inspiring private devotion, images, which were often displayed in public spaces, were also intended to evoke an outpouring of emotion and to make prayer a public occasion. 

 

Professor Duffy illustrated his arguments with a number of beautiful slides, showing examples of medieval art from around Europe. Among the most impressive pieces were images, found in churches that followed the narrative of Christ’s Passion. These included the Imaga Pietatis, or the “Man of Sorrows”, a depiction of a wounded Christ after the Passion, one example of which can be seen on a painted screen in the Norfolk church of St Andrew’s, Wellingham.  

 

Many of Professor Duffy’s examples came from Norfolk, testimony to the region’s international significance for the study of the medieval period. He cited a famous local figure, the anchorite Julian of Norwich, as a good example of the power of visual religious imagery. When very ill in her cell, she was apparently visited by a priest who presented her with a crucifix, telling her “I have brought thee an image of thy saviour.” This led to a series of visions that helped give Dame Julian the reputation of being a “mystic.”

 

After a very thought provoking hour, Professor Duffy took questions from an audience which ranged from professional medievalists to students and those who were much newer to the subject.  

 

One audience member commented, “It was so enjoyable to hear such a competent lecturer, I was swept along by his arguments and the wonderful illustrations.  And it is heartening to see such leading experts coming to Norwich.”

 

Hungate Medieval Art organised the lecture as part of their celebrity lecture series and Professor Duffy followed Loyd Grossman who spoke on behalf of the charity at Christmas.  A further lecture is planned for Christmas 2010.