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Advocate and exemplar of women's education, female of aristocratic birth and modest demeanor, Anna Maria van Schurman (1607-1678) was one of Reformation Europe's most renowned writers defending women's intelligence. From her early teens, Schurman garnered recognition and admiration for her accomplishments in languages, philosophy, poetry, and painting. As an adult she actively engaged in written correspondence and debate with Europe's leading intellectuals. Nevertheless, Schurman refused to regard herself as an anomaly among women. A supporter of the female sex, she argues that the same rigorous education that shaped her should be made available to all Christian daughters of the aristocracy.Gathered here in meticulous translation are Anna Maria van Schurman's defense of women's education, her letters to other learned women, and her own account of her early life, as well as responses to her work from male contemporaries, and rare writings by Schurman's mentor, Voetius. This volume will interest the general reader as well as students of women's, religious, and social history.
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WHETHER A SHOULD AND HER OTHER CHRISTIJ~N WOMAN BE EDUCATED WRITIl\rCS INTELLECTUAL FROM CIRCLE A Series Edited by Margaret L. King and Albert Rabil, Jr. OTHER BOOKS HENRICUS IN THE SERIES CORNELIUS AGRIPPA Declamationon the Nobility and Preeminenceoj the FemaleSex EDITED BY ALBERT RABIL, JR. LAURA CERETA CollectedLetters EDITED BY DIANA ROBIN TULLIA D'ARAGONA Dialogue on the InJinity oj Love EDITED BY RINALDINA RUSSELL AND BRUCE MERRY CECILIA FERRAZZI Autobiography oj an Aspiring Saint EDITED BY ANNE JACOBSON MODERATA SCHUTTE FONTE The Worth oj Women EDITED BY VIRGINIA ANTONIA COX PULCI FlorentineDrama[or Convent and Festival EDITED BY JAMES WYATT COOK Anna Maria van ~~churman WHETHER A CHRIST'IAN SHOULD AND HER WOMAN BE EDUCATED OTHER WRITINGS INTELLECTUAL FROM CIRCLE Edited and Translated by Joyce L. Irwin THE UNIVERSITY OF Chicago & CI-IICAGO London PRESS JoyceL. Irwinis an independent scholar and research associate in the department of philosophy and religion at Colgate University. The University of Chicago Press, Chicago 60637 The University of Chicago Press, Ltd., London © t 998 by The University of Chicago All rights reserved. Published 1998 08 0706 05 04 03 02 01 00 99 12 3 4 5 ISBN·0-226-84998-8 (cloth) ISBN:0-226-84999-6 (paper) This translation was supported by a generous grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Schurman, Anna Maria van, 1607-1678 [Selections. English. 1998] Whether a Christian woman should be educated and other writings from her intellectual circle / Anna Maria van Schurman i edited and translated by Joyce L. lrwin. p cm. - (The other voice in early modern Europe) Includes translated selections from the writings of Gijsbert Voet. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN0-226-84998-8 (hardcover alk paper). - ISBN0-226-84999-6 (pbk. . alk paper) 1 Woman (Christian theology) 2. Woman (Christian theology)-History of doctrines-17th century-Sources 3. Women in Christianity. 4. Women in the Reformed Church-Europe-H istory-17th century-Sources. 5. Christian womenEducation. 6. Reformed Church-Doctrines 7. Reformed Church-DoctrinesHistory-17th century-Sources. I Irwin, Joyce L ]1.Voet, Gijsbert, 1589-1676. Selections English. 1998. III. Title. ]V Series. BT704.S38 199