“You discover these people who uniquely speak to you, who are not just wonderful and wise in their own right, but actually become your teacher and your friend in a very real way.” — Grace Hamman
Author and scholar Grace Hamman joins us on the podcast to discuss medieval Christian ideas and the ways they can impact our spiritual lives today.
What can we learn from medieval Christians about Jesus and how could such ideas connect with our modern day world? Author and scholar Grace Hamman joins us on the podcast to discuss her book Jesus through Medieval Eyes: Beholding Christ with the Artists, Mystics, and Theologians of the Middle Ages. Grace writes about medieval representations of Jesus, highlighting ways that these images can enrich our own faith today. Grace helps us to see that a deep understanding of these historical concepts allows us to expand our view of God and reveal our own unexplored assumptions, much in the way we grow when learning about other present-day cultures. Grace doesn’t shy away from the challenges of studying medieval literature, and at the same time she paints an appealing picture of the ways our own spiritual understanding can grow through this kind of reading. Her book is lovely and I really enjoyed my conversation with her. And if you listen to the end of the credits, you’ll hear an excerpt from our conversation where Grace talks about the way she found scholarship and raising tiny children to be mutually beneficial.
Grace Hamman (PhD, Duke) is a writer and independent scholar of Middle English contemplative writing and poetry. Her writing has been published by both academic and nonacademic outlets, including Plough Quarterly and The Journal of Medieval and Early Modern Studies. She celebrates the beauty of the literature of the past on her podcast, Old Books with Grace. Grace lives in Denver with her husband and their three young children.
Ann is the Women Scholars and Professionals Podcast host and the interim editor for The Well. She has worked for InterVarsity Christian Fellowship since 1997, exploring her interests in community, spiritual formation, and writing. Ann has a BM in Music Education from Northwestern University and lives in Chicago, Illinois with one husband, two spunky teenage daughters, and three snuggly cats. You’ll often find Ann baking sweet treats in the kitchen while listening to a podcast or audiobook.
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