We finish up the first full week of Lent Madness with a match-up between a 17th-century priest and poet and a young, early 4th-century martyr. John Donne made it into the official bracket by defeating T.S. Eliot in the final play-in round known as the Great Poetry Slam. By winning that battle, Donne proclaimed to the world that he would not be, in the parlance of March Madness, "one and Donne."
Yesterday, in the biggest blow-out to date, Hilda of Whitby crushed Samuel Seabury to advance to the Round of the Saintly Sixteen. The only drama of the day was whether Hilda would be able to attain the magic blowout number of 80% of the vote. Samuel Seabury was able to stave off ignominy in this regard but still lost 79% to 21%.
Oh, and the other intrigue yesterday was whether we'd be able to make it to 1,000 followers on Twitter. As of this very moment @LentMadness stands at 989 followers (or, as we prefer to call them, "disciples"). Big (undetermined!) prize for our 1,000th follow.
John Donne
Rarely do great preachers, gifted writers, and esteemed Deans of Cathedrals begin life as poetic rakes who end up in prison.
Or maybe great preachers are great because they lived a life of passion, complexity, and redemption. John Donne certainly did. He was born to a Roman Catholic family, but struggled with his faith in his early life before converting to Anglicanism. He attended several institutions of higher learning without attaining a degree, womanized ladies in courts all over Europe, lived off the wealth of patrons, and wrote poetry. He was spiritual but not religious...and wrote poetry. His poetry was ground-breaking literature of the day with its images and ideas that connected seemingly unrelated things together like a parasite and sex (The Flea).
Donne eventually began a promising political career. His intelligence and charm opened doors, and he sat in Elizabeth’s last Parliament. Until he followed his heart and married Ann More -- a marriage that was opposed by all parties except the woman and man to be married. They married. Donne got sacked and landed in prison...along with the priest who married them. He was eventually released from prison, and he and Ann, by all accounts, lived happily married until her death.
As Donne’s life became more settled, his questions of faith became more complex. His poetry during this time spoke to the intricacies of human nature and the demands of the Gospel. He also wrote satire, pointedly observing the hypocrisy of government and church practices. He challenged Christians to think for themselves, not blindly to believe what someone in authority told them. He writes (translated slightly), “You won’t be saved on the Day of Judgement by saying Harry or Martin told you to believe this. God wants to know what YOU thought and believed.”
King James wanted him to become a priest so badly that he declared to all of England that Donne could not be hired except in the church. Donne was ordained in 1615 and soon became known as a great preacher in an age of great preachers, in an era of the Anglican church when preaching was a form of spiritual devotion, an intellectual exercise, and dramatic entertainment.
Donne’s legacy of poetry; of life lived fully and recklessly, with forgiveness and redemption; a life lived in the freedom of human passion and the obedience of devotion to the Gospel; and a life of questioning faith are all great legacies. Perhaps, though, in his own writing, his legacy of community is his greatest. Donne recognized that there is no belonging to a faith community without truly belonging. We are all connected in God one to another. As he writes, “All that she [the Church] does belongs to all.... Any man’s death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind.”
One Lord, one faith, one baptism. We are all one in God. Amen and Amen.
Collect for John Donne
Almighty God, the root and fountain of all being: Open our eyes to see, with your servant John Donne, that whatever has any being is a mirror in which we may behold you; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
-- Laurie Brock
Agnes of Rome
Agnes was one of the early martyrs of the church whose story of faith and perseverance through persecution continues to inspire us today.
Agnes was a victim of one of the random persecutions in Rome that occurred during the first three centuries of Christianity. In the year 304, Diocletian, one of the most brutal and thorough of Roman emperors, launched a round of persecutions aimed at totally wiping out Christianity.
Agnes’ name means ‘pure’ in Greek, and ‘lamb’ in Latin, so perhaps she was destined for her fate, which she met when she was only 12-years-old.
Tradition tells us Agnes was born to Roman nobility in 291 and raised in a Christian family. Apparently a pagan prefect named Sempronius wished to have Agnes marry his son, but she refused. This decision condemned her to death.
However, Roman law did not permit the execution of virgins. So Sempronius had Agnes dragged through the streets naked to a brothel. There are legends that say on the way to the brothel Agnes prayed, grew hair all over her body, thus clothing her. Then, at the brothel, God continued to protect her: any man who attempted to rape her was struck blind. Agnes was finally led out to a stake to be burned, but the wood would not catch fire. That’s when the officer in charged killed her with a sword.
A few days after Agnes' death, a girl named Emerentiana was found praying by her tomb. This girl claimed to be the daughter of Agnes' wet nurse, thus her foster sister. Emerentiana refused to leave the place, and reprimanded the pagans for killing Agnes. She was stoned to death and later canonized.
Today, Agnes' bones are conserved in the church of Sant'Agnese fuori le mura in Rome, which is built over the catacomb that housed Agnes' tomb. Her skull is preserved in a side chapel in the church of Sant'Agnese in Agone in Rome's Piazza Navona.
The anniversary of Agnes’ martyrdom is marked on January 21. She is regarded as the patron saint of young, unmarried girls. In fact, there is a folk belief that if a girl goes to bed without dinner on the eve of St. Agnes’ Day, she will dream that night about her husband to be.
Collect for Agnes of Rome
Almighty and everlasting God, you choose those whom the world deems powerless to put the powerful to shame: Grant us so to cherish the memory of your youthful martyr Agnes, that we may share her pure and steadfast faith in you; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
-- Chris Yaw
Vote!
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187 comments on “John Donne vs. Agnes of Rome”
'@Dr. Primrose: Not just his name, but his wife's too! When thou hast DONE, thou hast not DONE, for I have MORE!
Sorry, I meant to say the pun is at the end of each verse.
Actually, my previous reply was supposed to be a reply to my own post above. Also, I had never picked up on the pun of his wife's name. Such a witty guy!
So, do I get any bonus points for alluding to this, complete with puns, earlier?
I had not thought of Agnes as representing the stae of weome. Thanks to all who do.
As for spelling and proofreading . . .
These match ups are "out of the universe" tough. Today's is no different. Agnes has a fictional story/life.(Albeit real...).....Donne has a creative way of addressing religion through poetry. I don't know why? (not much success for the Holy Fool in these matchups)....I am going with "NO MAN IS AN ISLAND" Donne.
A 12 year old who is martyred for refusing to be chattel losing to a womanizer, even a reformed one, is a travesty of justice! Let's get out the Agnes vote!
Thank you for the lovely education.
I voted for John Donne because I'm a sucker for redemption stories, but Anges almost had me when I read that her skull was in the Piazza Navona. I had previously thought the best thing about the piazza was Tartufo.
I like John Donne, I really do: his story, his poems, his belief for us to think for ourselves within our faith ... ; but along with other's comments and that young women and women, in general, are still in peril today in a lot of places around the world and beliefs are still so patriarchal, it was very clear I had to vote for Agnes.
My first and still deepest encounter with John Donne was through picking up the Hemingway novel and reading the poem that introduces it: "No man is an island, entire of itself.... Each man's death diminishes me, for I am involved in mankind. Therefore, send not to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee." Two overused, cliched quotes, so meaningful in their rightful context. That poem continues to inspire me as I struggle daily with fulfilling my baptismal vows to seek and serve Christ in every person, respect the dignity of every human being, and work for justice and peace in the world.
Agnes's story is interesting and certainly inspiring, if more than a little apocryphal. But John Donne speaks to us still, asking us to really THINK about what our faith means; to not respond to "religion" blindly but to exercise our minds and hearts in a deeper practice of our faith. I'm going with Donne.
I agree Gloria! The young among us are often the first to see truth. I voted for Agnes for all the young women whose fervent faith is an inspiration.
Fascinating to me that many are choosing not to vote for Agnes because they don't believe her story. I'll grant you that truth-telling in hagiography doesn't always line up with post-Enlightenment views of truth as science and fact...but in solidarity with assault victims everywhere and everywhen who have had trouble finding people to believe them, today I stand with Agnes.
Thank you Jennifer, your comment helped me to commit to voting for Agnes, as she does represent those victims who are so often not believed.
We can't get the Violence Against Women Act passed and Agnes is too mythical to be believed? I could get in big Madness trouble here, but if she's too mythical, where does that leave Jesus? Calming a storm, walking on water, feeding 5,000 (not counting women and children) - those acts aren't over the top? I don't mean to equate Agnes with Jesus, but at what point does reason trump faith?
As a grad student in British Lit, I must go with John Donne.
Have to go with Agnes since it is my wife's name!
Thank you for all the great comments. Agnes as a reminder of the inhumane treatment to which girls and women are still subject gets my vote.
In a poetry-laced contest, It is hard to decide--love The Eve of St. Agnes, but I love John Donne even more!
Although I could not express it at the time, when I read John Donne in high school in Mrs. Hudson's class (herself an Episcopal saint whose encouragement lifted the spirits of a generation of depressed boomer creatives) I touched the mystical body of Christ for the first time and was lifted up. Donne's writing and his life--the ongoing awakening to the redemptive power of God's live--continue to inspire me. As Jerry Rankin commented above, Donne is an inspiration for our time, and he would fit right in with the emergent church. Like QEI (who I refer to as 'the accidental pluralist') Donne's feeling & thinking about our global connectedness were way ahead of his time.
Reading these comments each day has become an important (and favorite) part of my Lenten devotional. I feel a sense of community as I "listen" to the devotions of others who reflect theologically--and feelinlgy--on the lives of these many worthy saints.
Thanks Scott and Tim for creating something fun which is also deeply moving and inspirational.
Whatever will we do until Monday?
There are some substantial, thoughtful arguments today for each saint. But for me, since this is, after all, Lent Madness, it comes down to this: I want to see the Agnes kitsch!!!
Finally, a top-notch reason for Agnes. Her kitsch should be much better than Donne's.
You're welcome!
Amazing. You manage to write all those paragraphs about J.D. without using the word "metaphysical."
Glad someone quoted "Hymn to God the Father" where he not only shows he wasn't above punning on his own name, but does a pretty good riff on the Apostle Paul.
I agree with Constance -- the little martyr deserves this remembrance, since she received so little honor during her time in this world. And I have to go with Agnes as the inestimably more Romantic poetic inspiration than fleas and lice. Virgins over vermin every time!!!
My first degree was in English Literature. I cannot vote against John Donne; I just can't.
Here's what I wrote on my fb wall when I posted today's link:
Another painful Lent Madness choice.
I've been inspired by Donne's poetry since high school, I have a deep love of the "spiritual but not religious" types, and I am always a fan of the reminder that even those with a PAST (especially those with a past!) have the potential to make great clergy.
But Agnes, whether or not she even really existed as the legends say, is every young girl who has been thrown away by the world, whether in her time or ours - every one of those who have been assaulted, trafficked, forced to be child brides, killed by their male relatives, or refused a voice, a life, or an education.
So I'm going with Agnes.
This story of Agnes is horrific. Glamorizing the "super virgin powers" is so incredibly toxic. And the hair thing? Since when is rape about confirming to conventional ideas of female attractiveness? And are women who don't manage to thwart a rape with their super virgin powers less beloved by God? Gag.
I agree that it is horrific and toxic, Madge. I voted the way I did to stand with Agnes, not necessarily with how her story has been used since.
It may help to consider that Agnes' virginity represents her choice (versus a forced marriage), and that power resides more in the idea of choice than in super virginity.
In the gross image of the covering of hair I see actually quite a beautiful metaphor for drawing inner strength from God to preserve a sense of human dignity and self-worth as a beloved child of God when all about you is striving to strip it away.
And to me it is absolutely not about 'playing favourites' -- I am certain it is God's will that everyone be protected from evils like those described in Agnes' story...and that we have all got some work to do to in that regard.
I agree with Madge in that I'm bothered by "super virgin powers" and the use of such martyrs to encourage young girls to be well -behaved and proper whilst they wait for their husbands. On the other hand, there are interesting comments to be made about the use of women as property even today and how difficult it is for young women in such cultures to break away from their property status. The hair thing is just creepy and strange.
I'd rather vote for Emerentiana myself.
I have certainly learned to hate Diocletian this Lent Madness.
As to Lucy, certainly some of the features of her story typify mythologies that develop around martyrs, particularly virgin martyrs. That said females were property in those times. No question that any willfulness would be met with force.
It's a shame that for many years stories like Agnes's were used to stifle natural desires in girls (looking at you church of Rome), rather than to teach integrity, autonomy, faith.
I voted for Donne but bless precious little Agnes for her tremendous courage.
The contest is for the "Holy Halo": I think John Donne, the great poet, preacher, and churchman, the great believer that what touches one touches all, would have enthusiastically voted for St. Agnes.
Actually the Batter my Heart poem, with its androcentric comfort with rape imagery, was another reason I ended up not voting for Donne....Poignant contrast with a young woman who defended herself and whom God defended against such violation.
Indeed! Huh. Good point.
Yes read that last line and then think about the imagery and vote for Agnes
I can't stop thinking about Agnes and the reasons being given for the votes for Donne. Given the rationale for many of the Donne votes it is unfortunate those dragging Agnes down the street did not pause long enough for her to write a piece of poetry.
Donne is an "everyman's" saint.
We know a great deal about John Donne through his writing and life story.
We know very little about Agnes, but that her life was short and her tragic death.
John became fully aware of Christ only after an extended period of "adventure".
Agnes never wavered in her faith in Jesus, though a compromise may have saved her life.
Agnes , a lamb of God, sacrificed for her love of The Lamb of God.
Just to clarify, my beef with this is the way the virgin hagiographies get applied today. Donne was at the very least a cad. Assuming her story had historical validity she's probably much more worthy of our emulation, super virgin powers notwithstanding.
Where do you guys come up with these pairings? An innocent, courageous 12 year old who gave up a life she had not yet had a chance to fully comprehend against a brilliant man who turned to Christ only after fully reaping the benefits of a life of sin and worldly glory. Those passionate virgin martyrs are inspiring, but the literally incredible stories about growing hair all over and fire refusing to start, while apparently meant to demonstrate God's favor, actually diminish their greatness. True courage is possible only if we know God will not save us from suffering. John Donne is a dear old friend. The tremendous complexity and authenticity of his poetry about his marriage and his relationship with God speak to my modern soul struggling through a lifetime of faith and doubt in a way that a 12 year old never could.
In sorrow and in memory of the three young sisters raped and killed in India . . . I voted for Agnes.