Page - 68 - in JRFM - Journal Religion Film Media, Volume 04/02
Image of the Page - 68 -
Text of the Page - 68 -
Charivari or the Historicising of a Question |
67www.jrfm.eu
2018, 4/2, 67–79
Benedikt Bauer
Bridal Mysticism, Virtual Marriage, and
Masculinity in the Moravian Hymnbook
Kleines BrĂĽdergesangbuch
ABSTRACT
This article discusses the connections between virtual interaction, masculinity, and
bridal mysticism in the Moravian hymnbook Kleines BrĂĽdergesangbuch (1754). The mo-
tifs inherent in the hymnbook are examined in light of its anthropological presenta-
tions and perception of the divine, i.e. Jesus Christ, using mainly the ideas of virtual
interaction (S. Knauss) and hegemonic masculinity (R. Connell).
KEYWORDS
Kleines BrĂĽdergesangbuch, Moravian hymnbook, masculinity, bridal mysticism
BIOGRAPHY
Benedikt Bauer is research associate at the Chair of Reformation History and Recent
Church History at the Ruhr-University of Bochum. His research focuses on gender con-
structions and especially constructions of masculinities, Critical Men’s Studies in Reli-
gion, mysticism and history of piety.
Nowadays the Moravian church is commonly and primarily known for its daily
watchwords, which continue to be used by a multitude of Christians around the
globe. That this concept of an accompanying daily text originated in 1728 is less
well known. Likewise, the origins, emergence, and evolution of the Moravian
church in 18th century Germany and its specific religiosity as guided by Count
Zinzendorf are not common knowledge beyond academic discourse, despite
the presence of Moravian songs in contemporary hymnbooks like the EvanÂ
gelisches Gesangbuch, used by German-language congregations. Interestingly,
several song texts still in use in the Evangelisches Gesangbuch have been only
slightly changed since their original inclusion in Moravian hymnbooks like the
Kleines BrĂĽdergesangbuch. They therefore still contain a version, now slightly
diffused, of the mystical motifs found in hymnbooks of the 18th century and in
particular of the poetically highly productive period of the 1740s and 1750s.
DOI: 10.25364/05.4:2018.2.5
JRFM
Journal Religion Film Media, Volume 04/02
- Title
- JRFM
- Subtitle
- Journal Religion Film Media
- Volume
- 04/02
- Authors
- Christian Wessely
- Daria Pezzoli-Olgiati
- Editor
- Uni-Graz
- Publisher
- SchĂĽren Verlag GmbH
- Location
- Graz
- Date
- 2018
- Language
- English
- License
- CC BY-NC 4.0
- Size
- 14.8 x 21.0 cm
- Pages
- 135
- Categories
- Zeitschriften JRFM