University of London Professor to Illuminate the Connecting Power of Ancient Religious Texts

October 31, 2014
Michelle Brown

Michelle Brown courtesy photo.

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Media contact: Terry Goodrich, (254) 710-3321
WACO, Texas (Oct. 31, 2014) – Some have heard the expression, “the Irish saved civilization.” So, did they?
Michelle Brown, Ph.D., Distinguished Scholar of Illuminated Manuscripts at University of London, England, will shine light on this historical query as she uses examples of ancient text preservation as connections between seemingly obscure civilizations. Hosted by the Honors College, department of classics and the Institute for Studies of Religion at Baylor, Brown will give her lecture, “From Eastern Deserts to Western Isles: evidence for contact between the churches of the Near East, Britain and Ireland between Rome and the Crusades,” at 3:30p.m., Monday, Nov. 3, 2014.
“She is the leading scholar in the world for Latin manuscripts. We’re very, very fortunate to have her. She’s a dynamic lecturer and remarkably entertaining person. Students who come will not be disappointed,” said David Lyle Jeffrey, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor of Literature and Humanities in the Honors Program.
Brown will show cross-cultural connections in manuscripts and illuminated texts through content, scribal and writing styles.
“She’ll be absolutely fascinating to listen to especially, since the libraries in that part of the world have been threatened in the Middle East,” Jeffrey said. “This is a wonderful opportunity to make contact with this type of history.”
In addition to Latin manuscripts, Brown is an authority on codicology and medieval art history. Her current book projects are “Celtic, Pictish and Anglo-Saxon Visual Culture for the Bodleian,” and “The Latin Manuscript of the Holy Monastery of St. Catherine’s, Sinai.”
Since first speaking at Baylor on behalf of Jeffrey, Brown has become an adjunct professor in the classics department, associated with ISR, and Baylor University Distinguished Scholar. She has been involved in projects with faculty and graduates such as Jennifer Atwood, B.A. ’11, whom she met at Baylor and later through work at the Green Collection, a compilation of more than 40,000 biblical antiquities in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
The lecture, which is free and open to the public, will take place in the Armstrong Browning Library Treasure Room.
Armstrong Browning Library is located at 710 Speight Ave. in Waco.

For students and faculty interested in the workshops, contact Dr. David Jeffrey
by Sarah Czerwinski, student newswriter, (254) 710-6805
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