Journal of Early Christian Studies

In The Care of the Brain in Early Christianity, Jessica L. Wright delivers an ambitious and sophisticated study, drawing on a rich selection of sources from the third to seventh centuries to illuminate the role of medical knowledge about the brain in early Christian thought. Through meticulous analysis, Wright shows how early Christian intellectuals engaged with scientific understandings of the brain to develop nuanced perspectives on human personhood and the soul.

Wright’s book is particularly timely as early Christian studies undergoes a “medical turn,” with scholars increasingly applying medical frameworks to ancient texts. By foregrounding the brain’s physical properties, Christian writers addressed pastoral dilemmas and established their authority as “physicians of the soul,” projecting medical expertise to lend weight to their spiritual guidance. In grappling with the material brain as the organ of the immaterial soul, these thinkers explored profound theological challenges. They examined the nature of the connection between the soul and the physical brain, considering how the brain’s structure might influence or even constrain the soul. They also delved into the possibility that damage to the brain could compromise the soul’s integrity, thereby questioning traditional views of the soul’s independence from bodily processes. Through these explorations, early Christian intellectuals confronted the implications of medical knowledge for theological conceptions of personhood and spiritual wholeness. Wright’s study shows how these questions prompted early Christians to reassess the soul’s nature. Her work thus not only enriches current scholarship but also inspires further exploration, urging us to reconsider the complex interplay between medical and theological discourses in early Christianity.

The introduction highlights how late antique Christian authors reshaped the concept of the brain for theological aims. With sermons more widespread than medical texts, they wielded influence in popularizing brain ideas. The inclusion of texts like sermons in the literary corpus of the social history of medical knowledge is most significant. Wright stresses that theologians actively used medical knowledge to assert moral values and evaluate people, linking brain functions with behaviors. Her analysis, rooted in critical neuroscience and metaphor theory, explores how Christian ideas about the brain shaped identity and community. [End Page 169]

A significant strength of Wright’s work is her focus on the body as a contested space where theology and medicine intersect, challenging traditional views of embodiment and bodily structure. For example, she begins by discussing the debate over the soul’s location—while Aristotle and the Stoics placed it in the heart, others like Plato and Galen argued for the brain. Many theologians adopted this latter encephalocentric view, despite scriptural leanings toward the heart, which Augustine reconciled by interpreting “heart” metaphorically.

In Chapter One, Wright examines the role of medical knowledge in early Christian thought, emphasizing how preachers used it to establish authority. By referencing medical ideas, they positioned themselves as “physicians of the soul,” bridging theological and medical discourses. This tactic helped convey authority over both physical and moral health, with preachers like Gregory of Nyssa combining scientific ideas to reinforce theological messages. Christian leaders used medical language to connect physical health with emotional and spiritual well-being, merging medicine with faith in ways that enhanced their pastoral role.

Chapter Two details the ancient Greek medical and philosophical history of the brain. Galen’s influence, especially his view of the brain as the center of thought, was pivotal for Christian thought, providing a basis for the relationship between body and soul. Christian thinkers embraced this concept to frame teachings on human psychology and morality, blending medical and theological insights to strengthen pastoral guidance. Chapter Three critically reassesses the theory of ventricular localization, where brain ventricles were thought to manage soul faculties. Wright argues that theologians like Nemesius and Augustine viewed the brain not as a passive vessel but as active in mental processes. This view differs from later medieval ideas, indicating an early instrumentalist approach that viewed the brain as essential to mental function, blending physical and metaphysical perspectives on mental processes.

In Chapter Four, Wright discusses how the brain metaphorically served as a model for governance, tracing this from Heraclitus and Plato to Christian thinkers like Gregory of Nyssa. Ambrose of Milan’s interpretation of the head as governor contrasts with others, but all use the brain metaphor to relate leadership and authority within the church. This discourse shaped views of community and ecclesiastical structure, linking medical metaphors with socio-political ideas, and casting Christ as the governing “brain” of the Christian body. Chapter Five explores the idea of brain vulnerability, where early theologians connected cerebral health with moral and spiritual issues. Figures like Clement of Alexandria and Gregory of Nyssa used this to underscore the impact of behavior on both personal and communal well-being. Wright reveals that viewing brain vulnerability within ethical frameworks allowed Christian leaders to address issues like self-control and virtue, making the brain central to moral teachings.

Chapter Six delves into phrenitis, a condition associated with delirium, used by theologians to frame moral failings. Augustine interpreted this condition within a moral framework, aligning mental health with ethical behavior. This use of medical concepts underscored early Christian norms and allowed leaders to discuss sin and virtue as societal health issues, integrating medical discourse with theology. Finally, Chapter Seven addresses the “humanization” of the brain, where early [End Page 170] Christians merged medical ideas with theological beliefs about the self. Writers emphasized the brain’s role in moral agency, portraying it as essential to human responsibility and ethical conduct. By linking brain health with spirituality, they framed it as a mediator between body and divine, integrating physical and spiritual wellness. This laid the foundation for modern discussions of identity, as early Christian views on the brain influenced concepts of selfhood and personhood.

In sum, Wright’s book on “the care of the brain” resonates with the questions from Michel Foucault’s notion of the “care of the self,” as both have explored the intricate relationships between power, institutions, the body, and subjectivity (although Wright does not use any of Foucault’s works directly). Wright’s analysis reveals how early Christians navigated medical and theological discourses, emphasizing the brain’s role in moral governance and personal responsibility—the brain therefore also operates as a power discourse, structuring institutions and regulating bodies in those institutions. This intersection of thought highlights the importance of self-care within institutional frameworks, showcasing how early Christian thinkers shaped their understanding of human subjectivity via the understanding of the brain in ways that parallel Foucault’s insights on self-regulation and ethical conduct.

Wright’s critical and meticulous analysis marks a significant advancement in the field of early Christian medical discourse. Her work not only illuminates the dynamic interplay between ancient medicine and Christian thought but also challenges contemporary readers to rethink the historical development of moral and theological ideas. Among the book’s strengths are its comprehensive historical context, the clear articulation of complex ideas, and the seamless integration of various sources, which together enrich the reader’s understanding. By engaging with this book, readers will undoubtedly be inspired to explore further the fascinating connections between late antique medicine and Christian moral philosophy, paving the way for new avenues of research in this intriguing area of study.