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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.
E-Book Content
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