Speaking to Body and Soul
eBook - PDF

Speaking to Body and Soul

Instructions for the Moravian Choir Helpers, 1785–1786

  1. English
  2. PDF
  3. Available on iOS & Android
eBook - PDF

Speaking to Body and Soul

Instructions for the Moravian Choir Helpers, 1785–1786

About this book

Dating back to 1785, the Moravian "Instructions for the Choir Helpers" contain detailed advice for the spiritual counselors of the men, women, and children in Moravian congregations on how to address concerns about one's body and soul. In this volume, Katherine Faull presents an annotated, translated edition of the original German manuscript.

In monthly "speakings"—regularly scheduled dialogues between the choir helper and individual church members to determine whether the congregant could be admitted to communion—men and women received spiritual guidance on topics as varied as the physical manifestations of puberty, sexual attraction, frequency of intercourse, infant care, and bereavement. From their founding in 1722, the Moravians were remarkable for their positive evaluation of the body; they held that the natural manifestations of masculinity and femininity were integral elements of spiritual consciousness. The "Instructions for the Choir Helpers"—which were highly confidential at the time and passed on only by permission of the church administration—reflect that philosophy, providing insights into an interpretation of the body as a holistic system that should be cared for as a vessel for the spirit.

A unique resource for scholars of religious history, gender studies, and colonial American church history, Faull's translation of this fascinating set of documents provides an unprecedented glimpse into a period of foundational change in Moravian history.

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Yes, you can access Speaking to Body and Soul by Katherine M. Faull in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in Theology & Religion & Early Modern History. We have over one million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.

Table of contents

  1. COVER Front
  2. Copyright Page
  3. Table of Contents
  4. List of Illustrations
  5. Preface
  6. Acknowledgments
  7. Introduction
  8. Chapter 1: The Single Sisters’ Choir
  9. Chapter 2: The Single Brethren’s Choir
  10. Chapter 3: The Married Persons’ Choir
  11. Chapter 4: The Widows’ Choir
  12. Glossary of Terms Specific to the Moravian Church
  13. Bibliography
  14. Index
  15. COVER Back