Writings of Resistance

An erudite abbess of Port-Royal, Angélique de Saint-Jean Arnauld d'Andilly (1624 - 1684)resisted the demands of church and state to condemn the Jansenist theological doctrineswhich the convent hadlong upheld. In her autobiographical Report on Captivity, Angéliquede Saint-Jean recounts her personal methods of spiritual resistance as she and her fellownuns underwent waves of persecutionresulting in exile, house arrest, interdict, and excommunication.Her voluminous theological writings present the theoretical basis for thisresistance, limiting the claims of political andecclesiastical authorities over the conscienceof the individual. In particular, she defends the right of women to refuse to surrender theirconvictions due to specious appeals to obedience and humility.