Making Masculine Monks: Gender, Space, and the Imagined “Child” in Twelfth-Century Cistercian Identity Formation
Jacob W. Doss
Bernard of Clairvaux's letter to his young cousin Robert, written in the early 1120s CE, ignited a public controversy between powerful Cluniacs and upstart Cistercians over proper monastic practice recruitment that smoldered throughout twelfth century. This article examines how Cistercian polemics arose out this new competition form identity. Clairvaux under influence employed rhetoric drew on notions space, age, gender present their rivals as worldly, feminine, immature themselves mature masculine warriors front lines ascetic battle against vices. In doing so, deployed gendered concept “childhood” “youth” shaped understanding conversion progression maturation from feminized child monk. By centering category analysis, demonstrates importance age constructions masculinity. The gender-crossing martial, nuptial, maternal imagery for which are famous relied “child.” shows “adulthood” mutually constitutive, categories reveals is important constructing Christian masculinities “woman.”
Church History