Christopher F. Black assesses the nature and extent of church reform demands within sixteenth-century Italy, then concentrates on religious society after the supposed watershed of the Council of Trent (1546-63), through the seventeenth century. Black considers structural reform through dioceses and parishes, changes in parish life, religious education, the pursuit of "good works," and attempts at enthusiastic persuasion via church environment, art, music and festivities. Two controversial issues, the Inquisition's role and the stricter enclosure of nuns, receive special attention.

Confraternities were - and are - religious brotherhoods for lay people to promote their religious life in common. Though designed to prepare for the afterlife, they were fully involved in the social, political and cultural life of the community and could affect all men and women, as members or as the recipients of charity. Confraternities organised a great range of devotional, cultural and indeed artistic activities in addition to other functions such as the provision of dowries and the escort of condemned men to the scaffold. Other works have studied the local activities of specific...

Confraternities were - and are - religious brotherhoods for lay people to promote their religious life in common. Though designed to prepare for the afterlife, they were fully involved in the social, political and cultural life of the community and could affect all men and women, as members or as the recipients of charity. Confraternities organised a great range of devotional, cultural and indeed artistic activities in addition to other functions such as the provision of dowries and the escort of condemned men to the scaffold. Other works have studied the local activities of specific...