Rewriting Magic

Claire Fanger provides a profound scholarly examination of a rare fourteenth-century text in Rewriting Magic, Volume 1. This work focuses on The Flowers of Heavenly Teaching, a unique manuscript authored by the Benedictine monk John of Morigny. Unlike standard prayer books of the era, this text features a visionary autobiography that details the inspiration behind its composition. Fanger investigates how the monk attempted to reconstruct the ars notoria of Solomon, a liturgical practice for gaining knowledge that faced intense religious scrutiny.

This academic study blends theology and historical anthropology to explore the intersections of magic and Christian leadership. After the original work was burned as heretical in 1323, its legacy remained obscured until modern research brought it back to light. Rewriting Magic, Volume 1, offers an innovative look at medieval monasticism and the complex relationship between prayer and forbidden practices. It serves as a significant contribution to the study of medieval religion and historical methodology.