Laura Smith

Thesis title:

Daily Martyrdom and the Suffering Feminine Body: Discourses of Female Asceticism in Late Antique Christianity

Recent scholarly work has re-evaluated the portrayal of the suffering Christian body and its representation in literature of Late Antiquity. Yet critical study of discourses of suffering have focused almost solely on martyrological sources, virtually ignoring the significant body of ascetic literature in which narratives of suffering are also prominent. To address this lacuna, my project aims to investigate the textual commemoration of corporeal suffering of female ascetics in fourth and fifth century Christian discourse. Focusing on the representation of women will reveal new aspects of the lived and represented feminine experience, whilst shedding new light on corporeal performances beyond the field of martyrdom.

Research Area

Theology, Divinity and Religion

Publications

"What are the Apocryphal Acts of the Apostles?" in Christianity in Five Minutes, ed. Robyn Faith Walsh (Sheffield: Equinox, TBC).

"What Representations of Disability do we find in Early Christian Literature?" in Christianity in Five Minutes, ed. Robyn Faith Walsh (Sheffield: Equinox, TBC).

"Why was suffering beneficial in the early church?" in Christianity in Five Minutes, ed. Robyn Faith Walsh (Sheffield: Equinox, TBC).

"What was the Role of Women in the Early Church?" in Christianity in Five Minutes, ed. Robyn Faith Walsh (Sheffield: Equinox, TBC).

Conferences

"Searching Jezebel's Kidneys: Corporeality, Somatic Understanding and Sexuality in the Early Church," presented at Revelation Prize session for the British New Testament Society Annual Meeting 2022 (18-20^thAugust 2022)

"Oozing with Affliction: Disgust and the Obliteration of Gender in the Late Antique Body," presented at the European Association of Biblical Studies Annual Conference 2022 (4-7^th July 2022)

"Demons, Kidneys and the Ascetic Body: A Study of the Intersection of Race, Illness and Sexuality," presented at the University of Cambridge Gender and Sexuality History Workshop in March 2022

"The Life of Melania: A Tale of Two Illnesses," presented at the European Association of Biblical Studies Graduate Symposium in March 2022

"Somatic Destruction, Putrefaction and Stench: The Transcending of Gender in Late Antique Asceticism" presented at the Gender and History: Historicising Trans Pasts Colloquium - January 2022.

Forthcoming:

“Simeon’s “Grievous Wound”: Castration and the De-gendering of Saints in Late Antiquity” to be presented at the EABS Graduate Symposium (March 27-29th 2023)

“’In pain you shall bring forth children’: The Early Christian Maternal Body,” to be presented at the Female Corporeality and Religion Conference at Leuven (1-3rd June 2023)

Other Research Interests

Late antiquity
Asceticism
Disability and health
Gender studies
Early Christianity
Martyrdom
Ancient Medicine

Memberships

British New Testament Society (BNTS)

European Association of Biblical Studies (EABS)

Society of Biblical Literature (SBL)

Teaching

University of Lincoln, Associate Lecturer (2022-2023): The World of Late Antiquity

University of Birmingham, Postgraduate Teaching Assistant (2021-2022): Introduction to the Study of Religion

Background and Education

MA in Medieval Studies at the University of Lincoln (2017-2019)

PG Certificate in Teaching Special Educational Needs (2012-2013)

Graduate Teacher Training Programme through Lincs CfBT (2006-2007)

BA (Hons.) in Theology from the University of Kent at Canterbury (1996-1999)

Other Professional Activities

Associate Editor, European Association of Biblical Studies Graduate Network Newsletter.