On Boing Boing today (thanks Dr. Jacobs) there's a link to the top ten badass Bible Verses. Along with being extremely funny (and possibly offensive to those of you who are religious, though I doubt it,) it got me thinking about women and religion. I'm not a religious person, so I don't know too much about the bible ladies, but I do know a little bit about Joan of Arc (Check out this link for a full history of the woman.)


Joan of Arc was a French woman in the 15th century. She lived during the time of the 100 Years War, and when she was younger, her village survived several raids. Sources conflict about when she actually first started hearing the voices of Saints, but most agree that it was about the age of 12. She claimed that they told her to "drive out the English and bring the Dauphin to Reims for his coronation." When she was 16-17, she began her quest to accomplish this task. After much hard work, the Dauphin Charles granted her permission to be placed at the head of the army, an act of sheer desperation.

No one really knows how involved she was in the following battles. Traditional scholars seem to think she was mostly useful as a boost of morale. However, modern scholars have concluded that she a "skilled tactician and a successful strategist." However, most historians agree that her aggressive direction lead her to a brief yet successful career with the army. During her battle against the main English stronghold she was hit in the neck with an arrow, but still returned to the field to lead the final charge. Badass? Uh, YUH! She was also hit on her helmet by a stone cannon and a crossbow wound on her leg, and still kept going. (Three separate events, btw.)

After her capture at Burgundy, she attempted escape several times, including jumping out of her 70 FOOT TOWER. She was put on trial by the English, where she demonstrated remarkable intellect, especially for being so uneducated. From Wikipedia: "Asked if she knew she was in God's grace, she answered: 'If I am not, may God put me there; and if I am, may God so keep me.'"^[40] The question is a scholarly trap. Church doctrine held that no one could be certain of being in God's grace. If she had answered yes, then she would have convicted herself of heresy. If she had answered no, then she would have confessed her own guilt."

Joan of Arc was sentenced to death at the age of 19. She asked that a cross be held in front of her while she was burned at the stake.
(See the Joan of Arc article at Wikipedia for more details on her sentencing.)

So like I said, I don't really know much about biblical ladies, but Joan of Arc is a historical hero. At the age of 17, she enjoyed enormous military success, and survived a crossbow wound, an arrow through the neck, and a blow from a stone cannon, only to be burned at the stake by the forces she was fighting against. In the five centuries since her heresy charges and death, the charges of heresy have been overturned, and she has been named a saint.

Also, she was a pretty damn cool cartoon character.