Crab Bag, Part 1: The Crabs are Back In Town

The Brill volume 'Jesuit Art', featuring contributions such as those by Mia Mochizuki, surveys visual culture produced or influenced by the Society of Jesus across global contexts. It analyzes iconography, missionary encounters, and the ways Jesuit imagery adapted to and incorporated local traditions during evangelization. Chapters discuss case studies of saintly imagery and miracle stories, highlighting syncretic elements and artistic strategies used in Jesuit mission territories. The book situates Jesuit art within broader religious, cultural, and colonial histories, drawing on archival sources and visual analysis. As an academic research perspective, it addresses both theological and aesthetic dimensions of Jesuit-produced images.

Henry James Coleridge's 'The Life and Letters of St. Francis Xavier' collects biographical material and correspondence relating to the Jesuit missionary Francis Xavier. The work situates Xavier's missionary activities across Asia, recounting travels, conversions, and reported miracles that contributed to his reputation. Coleridge contextualizes Xavier within Jesuit history and Catholic hagiography, offering narrative detail drawn from earlier eyewitness accounts and documents. The book was used in later discussions of Xavier's miracles during canonization and influenced artistic depictions and devotional traditions. As a 19th-century compilation by a Jesuit author, it reflects both historical materials and hagiographic interpretation.

Andrew Dixon White's "The History of the Warfare of Science with Theology in Christendom" expands upon and reinforces many of the inaccurate claims presented in John William Draper's work. White's book perpetuates the myth of a persistent conflict between science and religion, particularly focusing on the Catholic Church's supposed opposition to scientific progress. The work is characterized by historical inaccuracies and biased interpretations. Its influence, despite its flaws, demonstrates the enduring power of misconceptions about the relationship between faith and reason. The book's legacy highlights the importance of rigorous historical research and critical analysis.