Is There One Jesuit Style? The Example of Seventeenth-Century French Funeral Orations

What is it about?

By examining several funeral speeches published by Jesuit preachers in seventeenth-century France, this chapter explores a recurring question in Jesuit studies: was there a distinctively Jesuit way of delivering funeral orations, or more generally of practicing this type of praise-focused rhetoric? At the time, Jesuits were widely regarded as leading figures in this genre, which played an important role in early modern French cultural life. They not only delivered and published many funeral speeches, but were also known for preaching on special occasions when the deceased’s heart—buried separately from the body—was commemorated. These speeches often emphasized the inner, spiritual life of the departed. However, the chapter argues that there was no single, fixed “Jesuit style.” Instead, what characterized Jesuit preaching was a remarkable ability to adapt their speeches to different contexts and audiences, making flexibility and responsiveness the true hallmark of their approach.

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Photo by Stefano Bucciarelli on Unsplash

Photo by Stefano Bucciarelli on Unsplash

Why is it important?

This article challenges the idea that cultural or religious traditions are rigid and uniform and emphasizes the subjects' agency, as well as the importance of context in rhetorical practices. By showing that Jesuit funeral preaching was defined less by a fixed style than by adaptability, it highlights how influential institutions communicate effectively by responding to specific social, emotional, and historical contexts.

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