New Books in Christian Studies Gillian Adler and Paul Strohm, "Alle Thyng Hath Tyme: Time and Medieval Life" (Reaktion, 2023)
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Dec 30, 2025 Gillian Adler, an Associate Professor at Sarah Lawrence College specializing in medieval literature, dives into the intricate relationship between medieval life and time. She dismantles the myth of a simple pre-clock society, revealing a complex blend of natural, liturgical, and mechanical rhythms in daily life. Adler discusses how the COVID lockdown influenced her perspective on overlapping time systems and emphasizes the qualitative aspects of time over mere quantity. She also highlights literature's role in personifying time's emotional weight, offering valuable lessons for our modern lives.
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Medieval Time As Overlapping Systems
- Medieval time was a fabric of overlapping temporal systems rather than a single clock-driven logic.
- People shifted among natural, liturgical, and mechanical times depending on context and need.
Simultaneous Awareness Of Multiple Rhythms
- Medieval people practiced simultaneous awareness of natural, liturgical, and mechanical rhythms.
- This multiplicity allowed nonlinear and cyclical experiences of time alongside linear measurement.
Book Began During COVID Lockdown
- Gillian Adler and Paul Strohm began writing during the COVID lockdown, which shaped their view of altered daily time.
- The lockdown prompted reflection on subjective time and the book's approach.
