Worship in Medieval and Early Modern Europe

Worship in Medieval and Early Modern Europe offers readers a chance to understand better the societal and confessional norms that motivated late medieval and early modern Christians to maintain or change traditional Catholic worship practices. Featuring some of the most outstanding scholars in the field, this volume will be invaluable to academics interested in the Reformation, early modern studies, theology, and liturgical studies, as well as to general readers who wish to learn how their worship life was shaped in the sixteenth century.

Reviews

"This is a fine collection of essays that significantly enriches our knowledge of a crucial period in liturgical history." ―Paul Bradshaw, Professor of Liturgy, University of Notre Dame

"The authors do a remarkably fine job of taking seriously the continuities between late medieval and early modern practices, especially in the Protestant world. They pay as much attention to subtle transformations of the medieval liturgical inheritance as they do to the dramatic changes in worship initiated by Protestant reforms. The authors also clarify the often murky, dynamic relationship between text and practice, and explain the ways in which practices of worship were rooted in local politics and culture. The primary sources accompanying each essay bring to light liturgical texts that deserve to be better known." ―Virginia Reinburg, Boston College

"This original and useful compilation of essays demonstrates a commendable ecumenical breadth and sensitivity." ―Randall Zachman, University of Notre Dame

By making a complex topic accessible to a wider readership, and providing a glimpse into the affective landscape of sixteenth-century Christians, this collection is an important contribution to historical scholarship and provides interesting suggestions for further research." ―Sixteenth Century Journal

“Offering more than its title suggests, this collection of eleven essays, primary texts, an introduction, and conclusion delves deeply into the transformation of liturgical and other religious practices from the Middle Ages to the early modern era. Focusing on the reformations of the Lutheran, Reformed, Anglican and Catholic confessions, these essays take us from Geneva to Sweden, England, the Low Countries, Spain and the Holy Roman Empire, illustrating the enormous impact of the Reformation on the men and women who experienced, often resisted, and sometimes orchestrated the changes that gave early modern Europe its confessional identities.” ―Renaissance Quarterly