Necrotic and purulent infections in the ancient and early Christian world

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dc.contributor.authorPenner, Heather
dc.contributor.examiningcommitteeMacKendrick, Kenneth (Religion) Solevåg, Anna Rebecca (Vitenskapelig Internasjonal Diakonal)en_US
dc.contributor.supervisorMarx-Wolf, Heidi (Religion)en_US
dc.date.accessioned2017-04-19T20:44:19Z
dc.date.available2017-04-19T20:44:19Z
dc.date.issued2017
dc.degree.disciplineReligionen_US
dc.degree.levelMaster of Arts (M.A.)en_US
dc.description.abstractThis thesis focuses on the startling ways in which a significant number of early Christian hagiographies feature saints with rotting flesh and suppurative wounds. It explores this phenomenon first by considering ancient medical understandings of diseases such as phagedenic ulcers, gangrene, and the production of pus as evidence of humoural imbalances requiring medical intervention. Then it considers reasons why early Christians developed more positive attitudes regarding these conditions. These include associating rotting flesh with superior spiritual fortitude. They also include non-theological reasons for this phenomenon. This thesis hypothesizes that early Christians also enjoyed looking at rotting saints out of a voyeuristic desire to gaze upon otherwise hidden bodies. Furthermore, it argues that Christians enjoyed exposing themselves to feelings of fear and anxiety because of the neurochemical dimensions the experience stimulated.en_US
dc.description.noteMay 2017en_US
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/1993/32223
dc.language.isoengen_US
dc.rightsopen accessen_US
dc.subjectAncient medicineen_US
dc.subjectHagiographyen_US
dc.subjectEarly Christianityen_US
dc.subjectEarly Christian saintsen_US
dc.subjectHippocratesen_US
dc.subjectGalenen_US
dc.subjectNecrosisen_US
dc.subjectPusen_US
dc.subjectRotting fleshen_US
dc.titleNecrotic and purulent infections in the ancient and early Christian worlden_US
dc.typemaster thesisen_US
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