Radegundes began her life as a political pawn and ended it as no less than a Christian proto-feminist! She was of royal blood (whatever that may mean) and was betrothed at age 12 to a king who treasured the possession of her chastity, her purity of heart and soul, her learnedness, and her Christian meekness. Then when he married her, the king soon tired of all that chastity and learnedness and meekness and Christianity, complaining that he had married a nun rather than a wife! So Radegundes stepped up her efforts to please the king in the bedroom, but that really wasn’t really what the king wanted–he just didn’t want all this goodness and compliance around him!

So to achieve his ends, the king arranged for Radegundes’ brother to be brutally killed in such an appalling way that she found herself pushed to the brink of asking the king’s permission to leave court and retire to a nunnery. This permission, Butler tells us, was immediately granted! For a half-second there was a problem at the nunnery–they scrupled at admitting a married woman. The king, however, “persuaded” the nunnery to see reason and admit his discarded wife, and the scruples quickly fell away.

Once away from the king, Radegundes truly came into her own. She soon exhibited the leadership, the learning, and the goodness that comprised her soul, in a setting where it was welcomed, and she formed important and lasting friendships. By her example, Radegundes led other sisters to devote themselves more fully to sharing their goods with the less fortunate AND to learning how to read and write. She pushed hard for the education of women, and regarded it as essential to women’s fully realizing all that God could do with their lives.

Here is an extract of the Rules that Radegundes put forth when she started her own convent, and though they at first seem like “typical Christian blah-blah-blah,” I would suggest that a careful reading shows something very powerful at work in Radegundes’ organization of women seeking to do good in the world. My own comments after each stated principle are in italics.

[P]ersons who desire sincerely to serve God, must apply themselves earnestly to holy prayer, begging continually of God, that he be pleased to make known to them his holy will, and direct them to follow it in all things. Note that Radegundes is telling women to take their discussions about what they should do directly to God–not to the priest or the bishop or the pope, but to God–and that each woman has a unique path that she must strive to discern!

that they must, in the next place, diligently hear, read and meditate on the word of God, which is a doctrine infinitely more precious than that of men, and a mine which can never be exhausted. Note first that Radegundes believes that these women should be LITERATE and that they should do their own thinking! Note second that she severely downgrades the authority of male-created doctrine when it comes to how women should be living their lives!

that they must never cease praising God, and giving him thanks for his mercies. Note that she is not focused on women bewailing their manifold sins but instead focusing on blessings present in their lives!

that they must give alms to the utmost of their abilities. Note that Radegundes connects the life of the convent with that of the world around them, but recognizes that each woman must find her level of giving and committing herself and her goods in her own time and her own way.

and must practice austerities according to the rule of obedience and discretion. Note that this directive would be utterly miserable if it did not include those two, all-important last words: “and discretion”! This is revolutionary–telling her sisters that they must exercise their own independent judgment in how closely and in what ways they follow the Rules of their order!!!

A truly amazing woman! Radegundes wanted to see women educated, capable of making their own decisions, and out from under the thumb of male-made rules and beliefs. Radegundes sought to care for the poor and believed it behooved all who would follow the steps of Jesus to do so, and yet recognized that each woman should find the path that best and most truly suits her! No judgments, just empowerment and encouragement and compassion.

Just… WOW!