Male Prophets in Early Modern England, 1559-1662

Abstract

This thesis examines the phenomenon of male prophecy in England between the mid-sixteenth and mid-seventeenth centuries. It focusses on Protestant expressions of prophecy, especially those which existed within the godly and dissenting communities. Grace Sujin Pak has recently highlighted the multivalency of early modern prophecy in a broad European context; her monograph identifies a broadening split between prophecy as scriptural exegesis and direct divine inspiration over the course of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. This thesis builds upon and develops Pak’s work by exploring this split within an English context. On the one hand, it charts the efforts of Protestant churchmen to reduce prophecy to scriptural exegesis and a facet of ministerial office. On the other, it explores the extraordinary prophecy of laymen against a backdrop of ecclesiastical hostility. A key aim is to uncover the various contexts in which the boundaries between these two forms of prophecy became blurred. This thesis also sits at the crossroads of histories of gender and religion. Using both manuscript and printed sources, it shows how models of manhood intertwined with biblical patterns to create unique prophetic identities. This thesis will argue that gendered stereotypes had the potential to both complement and undermine the reputations of male prophets. Their credibility was therefore in the eyes of the beholder. Other factors, such as age and social status, also shaped how men were viewed. Methodologically, this thesis focusses on representations of male prophecy. Understanding individual experience forms a secondary objective. Bringing gender history into dialogue with religious history enriches both fields. In a religious context, it shows how wider theological debates were shaped by different models of manhood. From a gendered perspective, it argues that religious categories, as well as social and cultural factors, shaped how men were viewed in early modern society.