Purgatory and Piety in Brittany 1480-1720

ISBN-13: 9781409438236 / Angielski / Twarda / 2012 / 328 str.

Elizabeth C. Tingle

Opis

The concept of Purgatory was a central tenet of late-medieval and early-modern Catholicism, and proved a key dividing line between Catholics and Protestants. However, as this book makes clear, ideas about purgatory were often ill-defined and fluid, and altered over time in response to particular needs or pressures. Drawing upon printed pamphlets, tracts, advice manuals, diocesan statutes and other literary material, the study traces the evolution of writing and teaching about Purgatory and the fate of the soul between 1480 and 1720. By examining the subject across this extended period it is argued that belief in Purgatory continued to be important, although its role in the scheme of salvation changed over time, and was not a simply a story of inevitable decline. Grounded in a case study of the southern and western regions of the ancien regime province of Brittany, the book charts the nature and evolution of 'private' intercessory institutions, chantries, obits and private chapel foundation, and 'public' forms, parish provision, confraternities, indulgences and veneration of saints. In so doing it underlines how the huge popularity of post-mortem intercession underwent a serious and rapid decline between the 1550s and late 1580s, only to witness a tremendous resurgence in popularity after 1600, with traditional practices far outstripping the levels of usage of the early sixteenth century. Offering a fascinating insight into popular devotional practices, the book opens new vistas onto the impact of Catholic revival and Counter Reform on beliefs about the fate of the soul after death."

Recenzje

'... a balanced and thoughtful study that will interest a wide range of early-modern historians.' Catholic Historical Review 'In this significant work in the history of early modern Catholicism, Elizabeth Tingle argues for the continued importance of the doctrine of purgatory beyond the medieval period and through the end of the seventeenth century... The book makes several important contributions to the historiography of Catholic belief and practice, and demonstrates the way that the laity responded to changing ideas about the doctrines surrounding the community of the dead.' Renaissance Quarterly 'Solidly grounded in extensive archival research and carefully reasoned argument, Tingle makes an important, nuanced contribution to the history of early modern religious culture that offers important revisionary challenges to the current historiography from which scholars and advanced students will certainly profit.' Sixteenth Century Journal 'Tingle shows that death was a growing business in seventeenth-century Brittany, and more than that, it remained an astonishingly creative force within the devotional culture of the Church.' H-France ’...this well-researched and lucidly written book is wide-ranging and of interest not just to historians: the material discussed is crucial for our understanding of medieval piety and also of the ways in which tomb monuments functioned in this period and beyond.’ Church Monument

Spis treści

Chapter 1: Introduction: Intercession for the Dead in Early Modern Brittany; Chapter 2: Setting the Scene: The Catholic Church and Religious Life in Early Modern Brittany; Chapter 3: Purgatory and the Counter Reformation in France 1480–1720; Chapter 4: Strategies for Eternity: Perpetual Foundations for Intercession and their Evolution Over Time 1480–1720; Chapter 5: The Individual Alone Before God? Motives of Donors and the Functions of Perpetual Masses; Chapter 6: Collective Intercession and Mutual Assistance before Eternity: Parish, Confraternity and Indulgences; Chapter 7: The Prayers of Priests: Chaplains and Intercession for the Dead; Chapter 8: Conclusions

O autorze

Elizabeth C. Tingle is Subject Leader and Associate Professor in History at the University of Plymouth. Her research interests are the French Wars of Religions and Catholic religious culture in France in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. She has published Authority and Society in Nantes during the Wars of Religion 1558-1598 (Manchester University Press, 2006) and other articles and essays.