Joan of Arc: Religious and Military Leader

Name of Book: Joan of Arc: Religious and Military Leader

Author: Janet Hubbard-Brown

Publisher: Chelsea House Publishers

ISBN:  9781694137101

Audience:  Middle school age.  This book is part of a series entitled Women of Achievement which examines the lives of influential women of the 21^st century and throughout history.

Summary:   Janet Hubbard-Brown portrays the life of the teenage girl of 15^th century France who overcame huge obstacles to become not only a military leader, but also a confidante of the newly crowned King Charles VII. This book follows Joan’s life from an early age when it is thought she began to hear voices of the saints that lead her on her ultimate quest to rid France of the English army.  The author not only highlights Joan’s incredible struggles and achievements, but also develops the historical context in which Joan finds herself.

The engaging story of Joan’s life is told objectively.  In the hand of Hubbard-Brown, Joan’s life has its shining moments along with the bumps along the way. Toward the end of the book, the reader is presented with a treat.  The author has  provided a list of “Further Resources” including print materials and web sites.

Literary elements at work in the story:  The crisp writing style is appropriate for a story of Joan of Arc.  The author is careful to not romanticize the life of this extraordinary young woman.   While Joan is portrayed in a favorable and often sympathetic manner, this is not a depiction of the idealized national hero of France.  The reader sees a woman millions have revered as the “morally perfect” Lily of France as well as the defiant and mysterious woman characterized in William Shakespeare’s Henry VI as a witch.

This book is framed within the appropriate political, cultural and historical settings.  Included with this biography is brief overview of the canonization process and how it has changed in over the years.  I should imagine adolescents of the   21^st century brought up in a faith tradition outside of the Catholic Church would find this helpful also.

(How) does the perspective on gender/race/culture/economics/ability make a difference to the story?  The story of Joan of Arc will not resonate the same to 21^st century teen girls living in the United States as it may have to French teen girls of the early 20^th century.    Teens today are accustomed to seeing celebrities of their own age.  The author does an excellent job describing the society and culture into which Joan was born.

Theological conversation partners:  A biography of a Christian martyr can be a wonderful teaching tool in a PC(USA) church setting, or in any church. I would begin this lesson with a brief overview of the canonization process in the Catholic Church and an open discussion of other well known saints to measure the class’s awareness or knowledge of other historical figures/saints.

Joan’s story is endlessly fascinating.  The voices she claims to have heard are teaching points.  Who are these individuals?  Mini-lectures can spin out of this: who were the saints Michael, Margaret and Catherine?  Additionally, a discussion of why, we as Presbyterians reject “Saints” in favor of “saints” (sola scriptura) could occur.

Faith Talk Questions

My fictional class is called “Understanding Faith through Christian traditions.” This fictional class is comprised of adolescent boys and girls.  The scope of the class is broad.  It traces early church history, meets and greets several young heroes of faith, such as Joan of Arc, Francis of Assisi, Mother Teresa and others.  For this particular unit, I would pair the reading of biographies of Joan and Mother Teresa.

• Discuss the lives of the saints and the process of canonization.  Ask if the steps to canonization were easier for Mother Teresa or for Joan? Why?

• Ask learners to compare and contrast cultural, societal and other differences between Joan and Mother Teresa.

• Ask what is different in the Catholic Church during their lifetimes?

• Discuss why we as part of the Reformed tradition do not recognize “Saints.”

• Discuss Luther’s sola scriptura.

• Why, in your opinion, is one person more of a saint than any other (Ephesians 4:12)?

• What does it mean to live a holy life?

• How can we use our personal faith when trying to overcome obstacles?

• How might you try to recognize God’s call to you?

• FOR GIRLS ONLY:  Do you see yourself as Joan, a young woman in a man’s world?

• The author Hubbard- Brown proactively poses questions that could illicit discussions relating to roles women play in history, overcoming obstacles, transgender issues, mental illness, and most importantly- are you prepared to die for your faith?

This review was written by Union Presbyterian Seminary student Cheryl Couch-Thomas.

Confirmation Curriculum: Prayer (Week 22)

This week marks the last post related to a 24 week series of lessons intended for use in a confirmation class with youth.  Tim Ladwig’s The Lord’s Prayer and When Daddy Prays by Nikki Grimes are used in this session.  Although we have only posted four sessions out of the 24, you can get an idea of how the writer has used children’s literature in a particular educational setting and hope this sparks your imagination to do the same!

Download the last lesson plan here.

Confirmation Curriculum: Sin (Week 19)

This is the third in a series of lessons written by MDiv/MACE student Katie Todd for a 24 week confirmation curriculum with youth.  In this session (one of two) that focuses on sin,  sections of Lois Lowry’s The Giver as well as scenes from the movie Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone are used to help students explore this concept.

Download this week’s lesson here.

Confirmation Curriculum: Providence (Week 17)

Over the last two weeks, we’ve posted material developed by Union-PSCE student Katie Todd for a 15-24 confirmation curriculum.  (The first two postings can be found here and here.) This is the second session we’re posting, although it is week 17 in the series!   Before You Were Mine by Maribeth Boelts is used in class and recommended as something that could be used in  a time with children during worship that same day.   This  session is an all day affair, with material for church school, suggestions for worship, and work at a local animal shelter in the afternoon.

Download the session here.

Confirmation Curriculum: Creation (Week 3)

Last Thursday, we posted the rationale and background for a 15-24 week confirmation curriculum written by Katie Todd, MDiv and MACE student at Union-PSCE, Charlotte.  Over the next four weeks, we will share samples from that curriculum so that you can see how she incorporates children’s literature into the session plan.  This week’s session, the second of two on creation, uses the book Lily Brown’s Paintings by Angela Johnson.

Download the session here.

Confirmation Curriculum using Children’s Literature

Katie Todd, MDiv and MACE candidate at Union-PSCE in Charlotte, developed a 15-24 week confirmation curriculum for 13 – 16 year olds that incorporates picture books and books for adolescents!  Written and used in a Presbyterian Church (USA) congregation, the sessions focus on some of the central theological themes in the Reformed tradition as well as Christian practices.   Katie has graciously agreed to share her material for download and use in other churches.  If you use the material, please give Katie credit!

You can download the background and rational of the series here -  Thinking Theologically with Adolescents – Overview.  Actual sessions will be posted over the next several weeks.