Joan of Arc is an unusual saint. Canonized in 1920 as a virgin, she died in 1431 as a condemned heretic. Uneducated, militant, and youthful, she obeyed 'Voices' that counselled her to pursue an unprecedented vocation. The various trial records provide a wealth of evidence about how Joan and others understood her spiritual life. This collection explores multiple facets of Joan's prayerful life. Two-thirds of the essays focus on Joan in her own time; the later chapters study Joan's formative influence upon modern women. Taken together, these essays offer new perspectives on the heroism of Joan's original way of sanctity.

"A master of the story form" (The New York Times) offers a fresh, revealing portrait of the legendary saint Celebrated novelist Mary Gordon brings Joan of Arc alive as a complex figure full of contradictions and desires, as well as spiritual devotion. A humble peasant girl, Joan transformed herself into the legendary Maid of Orléans, knight, martyr, and saint. Following the voice of God, she led an army to victory and crowned the king of France, only to be captured and burned at the stake as a heretic—all by the age of nineteen. Gordon does more than tell this gripping story—she explores Joan's mystery and the many facets of her inspiring life.

This sourcebook collects together for the first time in English the major documents relating to the life and contemporary reputation of Joan of Arc. Also known as La Pucelle, she led a French Army against the English in 1429, arguably turning the course of the war in favour of the French king Charles VII. The fact that she achieved all of this when just a seventeen-year-old peasant girl highlights the magnitude of her achievements and also opens up other ways of looking at her story. For many, Joan represents the voice of ordinary people in the fifteenth century; the victims of high politics and warfare that devastated France. Her story ended tragically in 1431 when she was put on trial for heresy and sorcery by an ecclesiastical court and was burned at the stake. This book shows how the trial, which was organised by her enemies, provides an important window into late medieval attitudes towards religion and gender, as Joan was effectively persecuted by the established Church for her supposedly non-conformist views on spirituality and the role of women. Presented within a contextual and critical framework, this book encourages scholars and students to rethink this remarkable story. It will be invaluable reading for those working in the fields of medieval society and heresy, as well as the Hundred Years’ War.

A host of modern authors have portrayed Joan of Arc as a heroine. Identifying with the medieval saint and martyr as a figure of the artist, they tell her story as a way of commenting on their own situation in a world where the power of art has decreased. Blending the theoretical insights of Walter Benjamin, Roland Barthes and Rene Girard, Ann W. Astell persuasively argues that many modern authors have seen their own artistic vocation in the visions and voices that inspired Joan.

Kathryn Harrison gives us a Joan of Arc for our time—a shining exemplar of unshakable faith, extraordinary courage, and self-confidence on the battlefield, in the royal court, during a brutally rigged inquisition and imprisonment, and in the face of her death. In this new take on Joan’s story, Harrison deftly weaves historical fact, myth, folklore, scripture, artistic representations, and centuries of scholarly and critical interpretation into a fascinating narrative, revitalizing our sense of Joan as one of the greatest heroines in all of human history.

This acclaimed work on the life and mysticism of Joan of Arc is considered by historians as one of the most convincing, well researched and best written accounts of the Maid of Orleans. Stolpe vividly creates the contemporary situation in France during Joan's time, evaluates the latest research on her life, and arrives at an original and authentic portrait - one that is also a work of literature. Stolpe sees Joan of Arc as primarily a mystic, and her supreme achievement and lasting significance not so much in a mission to deliver France - though important - but in her sharing in the Passion of Christ. By shifting the emphasis from the national to the universal, Stolpe brings the saint closer to the modern reader. His scholarship is informed by a profound understanding and sympathy for the Maid, giving his essentially sober work the absorbing interest of a novel. As one critic stated, "Stolpe succeeds in producing a very tense interest, so that it is impossible to lay it aside until the last word is reached." This work should do much to present a new evaluation and appreciation of the life and mysticism of St. Joan of Arc, the Maid of Orleans.

Born to Do This is a personal, thirty-day retreat for those seeking the courage and faith that St. Joan of Arc exemplified throughout her life. Six hundred years after her birth and a century after her canonization, she remains one of the most intriguing and popular saints in history. In this easy-to-use devotional, the life and words of St. Joan of Arc will help you to grow in courageous faith—the kind of faith that empowered St. Joan to answer God’s call, defeat her enemies, endure martyrdom, and ultimately restore her reputation. With diverse patronages ranging from the United States Armed Forces to prisoners, from those ridiculed for their faith to the entire population of France, this icon of courage and women’s empowerment captures the imagination of today’s Catholic like few saints can. This little book is perfect for busy people who admire St. Joan of Arc and desire an inspirational read to help navigate the difficulties and challenges of life. The book contains a timeline of important events in Joan’s life and a map of containing important landmarks associated with Joan’s life, a brief introduction to her life and times, and daily opportunities to read, reflect, and pray over her words and story, contained in short yet substantial morning and evening reflections drawn from court transcripts and other contemporary documents. As the six hundredth anniversary of her martyrdom approaches, the inclusion of the Maid of Orleans in Ave’s Great Spiritual Teachers series brings the inspiration of St. Joan’s own words and life story to those who admire her courage and hope to emulate her in virtue. A special novena is included at the end of the book for those who wish to invoke her intercession. Each book in the Great Spiritual Teachers series provides a month of daily readings from one of Christianity’s most beloved spiritual guides. These easy-to-use books are the perfect prayer companion for busy people who want to root their spiritual practice in the solid ground of these great spiritual teachers.

Until she was thirteen, Joan of Arc led a normal life. Then she began hearing voices. She believed these voices spoke for God. At first, they told her to be a good girl. A few years later, they told her that her destiny was to save France from its English invaders. Joan's inspirational leadership helped the French to defeat the English at the city of Orleans. Soon afterward, she persuaded the crown prince Charles to become King of France.

A biography of the fifteenth-century peasant girl who led a French army to victory against the English, witnessed the crowning of King Charles VII, and was later burned at the stake for witchcraft.