"In this work, Stephen Murray seizes a rare opportunity to explore the relationship between verbal and visual culture by presenting a sermon that may have been preached during the second half of the thirteenth century in or near the cathedral of Notre-Dame of Amiens, whose sculptural program was completed at about the same time. In addition to providing a complete transcription and translation of the text, Murray examines the historical context of the sermon and draws comparisons between its underlying structure and the structure of the cathedral's Gothic portals. He also points out parallels between the rhetorical tools used in the sermon and the stylistic and compositional tools used in the sculpture. In both sermon and cathedral he finds a powerful motivational mechanism that invites the repentant sinner to enter into a new contract with the Virgin Mary"--BOOK JACKET.