Date of Award

2025

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (College of Philosophy and Theology)

Schools and Centres

Philosophy and Theology

First Supervisor

Prof Tracey Rowland

Second Supervisor

Fr Paschal Corby

Abstract

This thesis explores the depth and breadth of Sigrid Undset’s non-fiction Catholic writing, a substantial body of work that has largely remained inaccessible to all but readers of Norwegian. Through original translations and analysis, it synthesises these texts into broad themes while situating them within their historical contexts of the intellectual and cultural debates in early twentieth-century Norway. The study addresses three research questions: (1) the general themes in Undset’s Catholic non-fiction; (2) the contemporary relevance of these writings; and (3) whether Undset merits the designation “Catholic apologist.” In its method, the thesis employs textual analysis of Undset’s essays, articles and other contributions, organised into thematic pairs contrasting her critiques with positive Catholic alternatives. A theoretical framework drawn from Melchior Cano’s loci theologici is applied to establish Undset’s contributions within the arena of apologetics and is supplemented by criteria for an effective apologist. Analysis of her texts reveals three overarching themes: religion, womanhood, and culture, each treated through adversarial critique and constructive proposal. In religion, Undset critiques Luther and Protestantism while presenting Catholicism as the authentic alternative. On womanhood, she opposes contemporary feminist agendas and proposes that the place women occupied in pre-Reformation Christian society constituted a better alternative. In culture, she contrasts pagan and post-Christian society with the cohesive, faith-infused civilisation of medieval Christendom. These insights retain significant relevance today. Undset’s defence of objective truth counters persistent relativism within and beyond the Church. Her warnings about undermining the family unit, including mothers being forced into the workforce, declining birth rates, contraception, abortion, state intrusion into family life, and sexual education, have largely been realised across the Western world. Her scepticism toward pseudo-scientific trends and utopian ideologies, offers caution amid contemporary technological and ideological promises. Analysis of Undset’s non-fiction Catholic corpus demonstrates that she fulfils all criteria to merit the title of an effective Catholic apologist. Her work aligns with other twentieth-century literary apologists such as Benson, Chesterton, and Belloc. In conclusion, this study affirms that Sigrid Undset is a noteworthy and formidable Catholic apologist whose realistic anthropology and robust defence of Catholicism provide enduring intellectual and spiritual resources. While not exhaustive, the research represents the most comprehensive English-language analysis of her apologetics to date. It opens avenues for further investigation and makes new translations available for future scholarship.

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