Religion and Superstition in Reformation EuropeHelen Parish, William G. Naphy What, in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, was 'superstition'? Where might it be found, and how might it be countered? How was the term used, and how effective a weapon was it in the assault on traditional religion'. The ease with which accusations of 'superstition' slipped into the language of Reformation debate has ensured that one of the most fought over terms in the history of early modern popular culture, especially religious culture, is also one of the most difficult to define. Offers a novel approach to the issue, based upon national and regional studies, and examinations of attitudes to prophets, ghosts, saints and demonology, alongside an analysis of Catholic responses to the Reformation and the apparent presence of 'superstition' in the reformed churches. Challenges the assumptions that Catholic piety was innately superstitious, while Protestantism was rational, and suggests that the early modern concept of 'superstition' needs more careful treatment by historians. Demands that the terminology and presuppositions of historical discourse on the Reformation be altered to remove lingering sectarian polemic. |
Contents
Introduction | 1 |
Catholic identity as a defence against | 47 |
Catholic missionaries and Protestant | 75 |
superstition and mythmaking | 94 |
John Knox Scripture and prophecy | 133 |
A Protestant or Catholic superstition? Astrology | 154 |
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Common terms and phrases
accused Alba Iulia Anon apocalyptic apparitions argued astrology baptism belief Bernard Călători Calvin Catholic identity Catholicism Christian church clergy Cluj Cluj-Mănăștur communion confession Couillard Counter-Reformation Crouzet Culture dead Death demonology demons devil devotion divine doctrine early modern England Epistolae Europe evidence example faith ghosts God's Heilig Kreuz Rottweil Heinrich Bullinger History Holban idolatry interpretation James Ussher Jesuit legend Jesuits John Calvin John Knox Knox's laity London Luther Lutheran Mâcon magic Marian Mass Nostradamus Nuremberg Odescalchi pamphlets parish Perreaud Pfarreiarchiv Heilig Kreuz polemic polemicists popular practice pre-Reformation preachers preaching predictions priests prophecies prophet Protes Protestant and Catholic Protestant reformers Protestantism Purgatory R. W. Scribner Ratsprotokolle Reformation Religion religious ritual Rottweil sacraments saints Satan Scot Scott Dixon Scripture sermon sixteenth century Society Society of Jesus Society's souls supernatural superstition Szántó theology Thomas threat tion traditional trans Transylvania treatise Uhl's Veress Videl Virgin vols Witchcraft witches
References to this book
Baroque Piety: Religion, Society, and Music in Leipzig, 1650-1750 Tanya Kevorkian Limited preview - 2007 |
Piety and Plague: From Byzantium to the Baroque Franco Mormando,Thomas Worcester No preview available - 2007 |