Rachel J. D. Smith’s Excessive Saints: Gender, Narrative, and Theological Invention is a significant and timely work in the fields of mystical theology, medieval gender studies, and the study of hagiographies. Building on their 2012 doctoral dissertation, Smith’s work focuses on the theological projects of Thomas of Cantimpré and examines the complex relationships between Thomas and his hagiographic subjects, as well as between theology and hagiography.
A methodologically astute introduction is followed by an introduction to the life and textual production of Thomas in chapter 1. The subsequent chapters focus on particular texts of Thomas. Chapter 2 focuses on Thomas’s presentation of Christina the Astonishing while chapters 3, 4, and 5 examine the Vita Lutgardis (“Life of Lutgardis”); chapter 6 brings Thomas’s work on Christina and Lutgard into dialogue, and chapter 7 exams the Bonum Universale de Apibus (literally, the “Universal Good of Bees,” sometimes called the “Book of Bees”), a collection of saintly exempla.
While many themes are drawn out lucidly by Smith, perhaps the most prominent is that of performative reading and writing. In examining Thomas’ work in this manner, Smith helpfully builds on the work of Robert Sweetman and Susan Boynton in what Boynton and others have termed “performative exegesis.” Smith highlights and examines several textual moments, both where the subjects of Thomas’ works are performed by his textual production, and where Thomas performs through his production of the texts, whereby “a transformation of the person by means of inhabiting textual space” can lead to a conformity to God (143). For example, in discussing Thomas’ presentation of Christina the Astonishing, Smith not only recognizes that Christina’s sanctity was performed through the text, but specifically that “this citation was performed in such a way as to emphasize Christina’s departure” from existing models of sanctity (60).
Smith also elucidates the role of the hagiographic presentation of saints as a theological enterprise in and of itself. For example, in chapter 4, Smith convincingly demonstrates that representing saintly women in hagiographies allowed for their examples to function “as compelling rhetorical devices” for “abstract doctrine” so that the women could be living examples of these doctrines. (94). In doing so, Smith shows that Thomas’ role as a theologian was not exclusively in his scholastic work but also included his writing of these womens’ lives.
Given that performative reading is such a central theme of this study, it is both important and interesting that Smith also focuses on literacy. Considering Lutgard’s (il)literacy, Smith situates Thomas within the Cistercian tradition—and particularly as it is exemplified by the work of William of Saint-Thierry—to probe the intricate interrelationship between text and body. Through this interrelationship Thomas presents Lutgard as being transformed into the bride of the Song of Songs.
Another major trope is the use of apophaticism and paradox in these texts. Smith appeals particularly to pseudo-Dionysius’s model of dissimilar similarities to explain Thomas’s presentation of Christina. Such an approach is intriguing and raises interesting methodological possibilities for future studies, but the specific meaning of apophaticism could have been drawn more clearly and with more nuance; for example, it is unclear how it relates to ineffability (18). Moreover, in using pseudo-Dionysius, it remains unclear whether dissimilar similarities is a hermeneutic Smith has found useful to explain Thomas’s textual production, or whether Smith is suggesting Thomas knew of this model and purposefully employed it to construct and perform Christina.
While the organization of the book allows readers to focus on texts in their own context and to examine the performative reading strategies of particular texts, it does mean that some themes are drawn out quite repetitively. Moreover, while the use of scholarship is generally exemplary, there are a few areas where the book feels slightly dated; for example, the terms “beguine” and “tertiary” are used throughout the book without any attention given to recent critique of these terms’ utility.
These minor critiques do not take away, however, from the staggering achievement of Smith, who advances scholarly conversation on several fronts and makes a major contribution to the gradual deconstruction of categories and binaries within the study of medieval theologies. This book is complex, but readable, so likely would be suitable for advanced-level undergraduate students, graduate students, and researchers alike. It would also appeal to those interested in the specific texts the book analyzes, as well as to those interested in the construction of medieval women’s theological identities and medieval theology outside of the scholastic spheres. Smith’s work is a genuine gift to the field and will likely to be used widely for many years to come.
Michael Hahn leads the graduate programs in Christian Spirituality at Sarum College, Salisbury, UK.
Michael Hahn
Date Of Review:
December 23, 2023