the evolution of the Waldensians

79 Pages·2017·2.91 MB·English

University of Iowa
Iowa Research Online
Theses and Dissertations
Spring 2015
From the Alps to Appalachia: the evolution of the
Waldensians
Ashley Nicole Tickle
University of Iowa
Copyright 2015 Ashley Nicole Tickle
This thesis is available at Iowa Research Online: https://ir.uiowa.edu/etd/1776
Recommended Citation
Tickle, Ashley Nicole. "From the Alps to Appalachia: the evolution of the Waldensians." MA (Master of Arts) thesis, University of
Iowa, 2015.
https://doi.org/10.17077/etd.cy1eajdn
Follow this and additional works at:https://ir.uiowa.edu/etd
Part of theReligion Commons
FROM THE ALPS TO APPALACHIA: THE EVOLUTION OF THE
WALDENSIANS

by

Ashley Nicole Tickle

A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment
of the requirements for the Master of
Arts degree in Religious Studies
in the Graduate College of
The University of Iowa

May 2015

Thesis Supervisor:
Professor Raymond Mentzer
Copyright by

ASHLEY NICOLE TICKLE

2015

All Rights Reserved
Graduate College
The University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa

CERTIFICATE OF APPROVAL

MASTER'S THESIS

This is to certify that the Master's thesis of

Ashley Nicole Tickle

has been approved by the Examining Committee for the
thesis requirement for the Master of Arts degree in
Religious Studies at the May 2015 graduation.

Thesis Committee:
Raymond Mentzer, Thesis Supervisor

Kathleen Kamerick

Kristy Nabhan-Warren
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This thesis could not have been written without the help of many people. I would like to
thank my parents for supporting me in this journey and for encouraging me to do my best.
I would like to thank my thesis committee: Drs. Raymond Mentzer, Kathleen
Kamerick, and Kristy Nabhan-Warren for their advice, comments, and encouragement in
making this thesis a success.
Finally, I would like to thank Mrs. Gretchen Lane-Costner, curator of the Waldensian
Heritage Museum for answering my many questions and directing me to resources. Any
mistakes are my own.

ii
ABSTRACT

Our self and communal identity is important for everyday life. Our identity determines
how we act, where we live, who we love, and how we worship. Identity is especially important
in a religious context, including the religious community of the Waldensians. Do the present
day Waldensians share an identity with their medieval ancestors; how is this identity
constructed? I argue that the medieval and modern day Waldensians create a similar cultural
and religious identity which is constructed through three specific practices: the commitment to
the vita apostolica, medical practices, and education and the perpetuation of a historical
narrative. Although these practices have evolved with modernity the summation of the
practices form a coherent communal identity across time.
In order to demonstrate the shared cultural and religious identity of the Waldensians of
the Middle Ages and present day I examined inquisitorial documents, religious tracts,
pamphlets, and conducted interviews. I have set these findings in the larger social context of
the Middle Ages and Modern Era in order to show that although similarities of practice exist
with other groups the summation of the three specific practices especially with the creation and
perpetuation of a historical narrative creates a unique communal identity. This is important for
future examination of other religious communities and how similar communal identities do not
negate uniqueness of the said community. This study also shows that the evolution of practices
does not detract from the continuation of communal identity. Thus although the cultural
practices of the Waldensians evolved over time the communal identity remained strong and
continues to thrive today.

iii
PUBLIC ABSTRACT

Our self and communal identity is important for everyday life. Our identity determines
how we act, where we live, who we love, and how we worship. Identity is especially important
in a religious context, including the religious community of the Waldensians. I asked the
question: do the present day Waldensians share an identity with their medieval ancestors and if
so how is this identity created? I argue that the medieval and modern day Waldensians create a
similar cultural and religious identity which is constructed through three specific practices: the
commitment to preaching and poverty, medical practices, and education and the perpetuation of
a historical narrative. Although these practices have evolved over time taken together the
practices form an identity which remains strong.
In order to demonstrate the shared cultural and religious identity of the Waldensians of
the Middle Ages and present day I examined inquisitorial documents, religious tracts,
pamphlets, and conducted interviews. I have set these findings in the larger social context of
the Middle Ages and Modern Era in order to show that although similarities of practice exist
with other groups when taken together the cultural practices of the Waldensians create a unique
communal identity. This is important for future examination of other religious communities
and how similar communal identities do not negate uniqueness of the said community. This
study also shows that the evolution of practices does not detract from the continuation of
communal identity.

iv
TABLE OF CONTENTS

LIST OF FIGURES ..................................................................................................................... vi
Introduction .................................................................................................................................. 1
Historical Background .............................................................................................................. 2
Chapter One: The Vita Apostolica ............................................................................................. 10
Preaching .................................................................................................................................... 10
Poverty .................................................................................................................................... 21
Conclusion .............................................................................................................................. 29
Chapter Two: Medicinal Practice ............................................................................................... 30
Conclusion .............................................................................................................................. 40
Chapter Three: Education and the Perpetuation of a Historical Narrative ................................. 41
Education ................................................................................................................................ 41
Historical Narratives and Memory ......................................................................................... 49
Conclusion .............................................................................................................................. 63
Epilogue ..................................................................................................................................... 64
Bibliography ............................................................................................................................... 67

v
LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1: Overview of the Pidemont Region of the Alps. From www.goitaly.about.com. ......... 5

Figure 2: Detailed map of the Waldensian Valleys of the Piedmont Region. From Euan
Cameron’s Waldenses, 167. .......................................................................................... 6

Figure 3: Merindol is shown in red and is part of the Dauphine region mentioned earlier.
Image from http://www.cartesfrance.fr ........................................................................ 7

Figure 4: The Construction of the Waldensian Presbyterian Church of Valdese NC in
October 1897. ............................................................................................................. 20

Figure 5: A reconstruction of the communal oven on the Trail of Faith in Valdese NC. .......... 26

Figure 6: A Waldensian woman in traditional dress in the Waldensian Heritage Museum in
Valdese NC. The women who raised the funds for the communal oven dressed in
a similar fashion to this woman when they went to the local churches. .................... 26

Figure 7: School of the Barba. This is a reconstruction on the Trail of Faith of the school
found in the Agrogna Valley in Italy. Small animals were kept in the lower level
which helped heat the schoolhouse. The top was used for studying and the training
of the barbes. ............................................................................................................... 44

Figure 8: Bibles of the barbes. The books that the barbes carried would have been similar to
this copy of the Bible from the 1700s. This particular Bible is on display at the
Waldensian Heritage Museum in Valdese NC. ........................................................... 45

Figure 9: Ghiesa d’la Tana where the Waldensians worshiped. Notice the original entrance
on the right through which worshipers would have crawled to enter. The entrance
on the left was built into the structure for the purposes of the Trail and is not part
of the original found in Italy. ..................................................................................... 53

Figure 10: Monument of Chanforan. The open Bible says “The Bible” on the left and “Be
Faithful” on the right with a reference to Revelation 2:10 which says, “do not fear
what you are about to suffer. Beware, the devil is about to throw some of you into
prison so that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have affliction. Be
faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.”...................................... 54

Figure 11: Temple of Ciabas built in 1555. This replica features the barred windows and the
simple interior of the original Temple and is used in the Easter Sunrise Service
annually. ................................................................................................................... 55

Figure 12: Monument of Sibaud. This monument commemorates the Glorious Return. This
is a photo of the replica on the Trail. The misshapen stones represent places in
the Waldensian Valleys. They are Torre Pellice, Pomereto, Agrogna, and Vellar. . 56
vi
Figure 13: The Edict of Emancipation. This replica on the Trail is the fountain which
commemorates the Edict of Emancipation by Charles Albert I granting civil
rights to the Waldensians in 1848. ........................................................................... 57

Figure 14: Tron House. This is the original house of the first pastor of Valdese, Charles
Albert Tron. .............................................................................................................. 58

Figure 15: This map of the Waldensian Valleys show the towns where many of the
American Waldensians still have relatives living. Map is from the Waldensian
Presbyterian Church Historical Committee, History of the Waldensian
Presbyterian Church, front cover. ............................................................................. 62

vii